


The Second Time Around

by WinterWriter (Bebluvsnaru)



Series: Wildstreak & Killmonger [2]
Category: Black Panther (2018), Black Panther (Comics), Iron Man (Comics), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Comics)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, F/M, Fantasy, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-08
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-04-25 02:26:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 27,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14368896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bebluvsnaru/pseuds/WinterWriter
Summary: Following Erik’s death and the heart wrenching revelation of his true identity, Tamika, now Wildstreak, is left to pick up the pieces and move on. But now her current boyfriend has mysteriously disappeared. And she soon finds herself spiraling into a fantastical world where scientific law does not necessarily apply.  Where Norse gods roam the earth… and possess boyfriends, descendants of sorcerers and oracles hold grudges, and even the law of life and death can be blurred and/or broken.Kidnapped by Madame Slay and the Wakandan oracle, Sombre, she unexpectedly finds herself back in the arms of her first love.  Then she finds herself wrapped up in a much larger plot to end the Black Panther’s reign over Wakanda.  Thus dragging in the Avengers, a few x-men, other assorted characters from across the galaxy… and perhaps an uninvited being that threatens Earth.All characters are owned by Marvel.  Warning: scenes/spoilers will be used from the most recent movie.





	1. Resurrection and Riri

With a start, Erik's consciousness woke to the pain of air starvation. He struggled to gasp. Nothing moved on command.  Not even his diaphragm. Drowning in a pool of confusing images, he was forced to relearn everything in a matter of a few seconds, overwhelming his mind with a pressured rush of memories.

They say your life flashes before your eyes before you die, but apparently, they were wrong. The flood gates open when you are returned from the dead.  Twenty seven years of life slammed into thirty seconds of recall.  Erik would have retched if his body was still connected to his mind.  But, nothing moved on command yet.  It took several minutes just to open his eyelids enough to see the blurred shapes surrounding him.

The memories paused at an image of Tamika’s face touched by the morning light streaming in a nearby bedroom window.  She opened her brown eyes and looked up at him, gently touching his face and kissing his lips.  She said to him softly.  "Erik, it’s time to wake up."

He opened his eyes abruptly to a dark and dank chamber that smelled of humidity and mold. Locked into a paralyzed body with the exception of his skittish brown eyes, he looked around himself. Everything becoming even less clear as his vision and mind sharpened. Where was he? How did he get here? He should be dead... shouldn’t he? The last memory that returned to him was pulling the dagger out of his torso, and then blacking out as he lay bleeding over T’challa.

None of this made sense.  He was no surgeon, but he was very familiar with the fatal points on a body. And he was assured certain death after he removed that dagger. Von Strucker had not quite finished the job during the time Erik allowed HYDRA to experiment on him, so even his enhanced durability could not withstand that fatal wound. And he was pretty certain from the looks of this worn and ancient catacomb, he was no longer in Wakanda -at least not in the main city.  Besides, he remained conscious long enough to make sure T'challa agreed not to save his life.  The man seemed nauseatingly honorable.  He would never go back on his word.

Shadows danced above him. He was not alone.

The face of a woman appeared over him. She wore a silver crown over her forehead adorn with what mimicked the sharp horn of a rhino. Her large and pointed black eyes were almost cat like, and they caught and reflected the bit of light in the cavern making them appear to glow.

He could not recall her face, now framed by a large afro which had been touched by the sun and was a slightly lighter brown than her deep chocolate skin. Her large luscious lips and wide cheek bones exaggerated her beauty. He thought to himself, that he would have remembered her if he encountered her before.  She was almost as beautiful as Tamika. But she lacked the magnetic pull of Tamika's natural innocence. This woman had a hard and calculating edge to her expression which warned that she was not a woman to be played with.

Her lips curled a bit, forming a devious smile when she noted he was looking back at her. She backed away out of view and he could hear her say, “It worked. He’s awake.”

Now a man with long graying black hair appeared over him. This man was definitely not Wakandan.  He looked Asian. His thick eyebrows jutted up at a sharp incline causing him to look even less friendly than the woman. He spoke to Killmonger. “Erik Stevens, I presume.”

The man narrowed his cold black eyes down at Erik curiously and continued to introduce himself, but he switched to Chinese, appearing to know that Erik would understand him. “They call me, The Mandarin. Maybe you’ve heard of me…”

He realized the man was trying to make a point. Perhaps that he knew all of Erik’s secrets. But Killmonger just continued to blankly stare up at the man. His face was completely free from paralysis now and he was starting to have movement in his arms.  But he was not giving any of that away to these strangers. Neither one of them looked formidable from first appearances. If he caught them by surprise, maybe he could take them out, and then he could figure out what the hell happened… where the hell he was… and why the hell was he still alive?

The Mandarin was still talking. “Disappointing... Maybe not."

"Your body has mostly freed itself from the temporary paralysis caused by my ring, and I know you can move. Yet you still pretend to be paralyzed.”

The Mandarin stood straight up and placed his hands behind his back, patiently. “I respect the level of skill and knowledge that you have acquired as a tactician.  This is the reason why I have chosen to lend my power to bring you back. But... you must understand, young man, despite what you are capable of, you will never take me by surprise. I know everything about you.  Every moment from the second that you were born.  I probably know you better than you know yourself at the moment. And surprise is the only advantage that you could possibly have over me.”

He paused after the warning to allow Erik to answer.  But he began to speak again quickly after Erik continued to watch him silently. “What do you call yourself again? Killmonger? Killmonger, your tricks won't work on me."

The Mandarin moved so fast that even Erik’s enhanced reflexes barely had time to react. Killmonger grabbed hold of the older man’s hand as the Mandarin stabbed all five fingers into the pressure point on Erik’s left shoulder at the base of the neck.

Sharp pain shot down Erik’s torso causing his muscles to jerk violently. He cried out in agony, letting go of the Mandarin’s hand. The older man stepped back again placing his ringed hands behind his back.

Erik snarled as he sat up and rubbed at his shoulder. He demanded in a raspy voice. “Who the fuck are you, people, and what the hell do you want with me??”

The woman, who stood quietly observing the two men from the shadows, moved forward between two spotted leopards and cleared her throat. Clearly, the animals were present at her beckoning. She stroked their heads, absentmindedly.

“Oh yes.” The Mandarin turned and waved his ringed hand at her with a look of annoyance. “That is Slay. She pulled you out of the water.”

“Madame Slay actually.” The woman stated. She moved to the side of the stone slab where Erik sat. “I heard rumors of you… a new king -finally ready to use Wakandan resources to bend the colonizers to our will. The type of Wakandan pride that the current king rejects. I traveled from my home in the south to lend my services but I was too late. You were already defeated.”

“The last king…” Madame Slay’s lips curled with disgust. Then she continued, “...banished me here years ago when I was just a young girl. Those of us... gifted with certain talents... are not well liked by the royals in the north. Anyway, by the time I arrived, you were already pronounced dead and buried at sea. I recovered your body and brought you to the one man who might help grant you life again.”

“No one asked you to do that.” Erik spat. He got up off the slab of stone and tested out his legs. He was almost naked save a leopard skin covering his groin. He could just imagine what this woman had been doing to his body while he was... dead. She was currently eyeing him like he was a piece of meat. He could tell she was the type of woman who used her beauty like a commodity or a weapon. Angrily, he snarled at her and her two cats.

“So ungrateful.” The Mandarin commented. “But don’t worry. I'm here for one reason and one reason only. After we've killed Stark, you can have your death back... as quickly as possible if you prefer.”

“Tony Stark?” Erik frowned. He stopped searching the cavern for his weapons and looked over at Mandarin, now interested.

“Yes.” The older man replied. “He's become very good friends with your enemy, Black Panther. And you know how they say, the enemy of my enemy is a potential friend? With the help of Madame Slay and her allies, you could still rid Wakanda of the current black panther, and retake your rightful place on the throne.”

“And? What does any of that have to do with Tony Stark?” Killmonger demanded.

“You’ve been gone for awhile now. About a year. Lately, there are rumors circulating that some of the Avengers were hidden in Wakanda following the civil war in New York. And the Black Panther has been seen spending a significant amount of time in the company of the remaining Avengers.”

The Mandarin explained. “Use the ones hidden in your country to turn Iron man and Black Panther against each other. Then together we destroy them both. I get rid of the biggest pain in my ass and you get your throne back. Everyone is happy.”

Killmonger looked over at Madame Slay skeptically. “And what do you get?”

Raising one eyebrow seductively, she smiled at him. “I get to be your queen.”  

* * *

 

Shuri stared out of the window of the hover craft at the passing clouds.  She sat in the back, as far away from Okoye and Ayo as possible, avoiding her brother’s eyes.  As usual, T'challa was relentless however.

“Why were you so insistent about coming on this trip?” T’challa’s intense quiet stare was about the only thing that could ever penetrate Shuri’s defensive wall of comical innocence. Boy, her brother could be a stick in the mud sometimes. And he knew her far too well.

“For the love of Bast, I was hoping to actually make it to Coachella this time around… You know, a place where normal seventeen year olds go when they visit California.” Shuri rolled her eyes. The last time she took a trip to America with her brother, he took her to Oakland to set up a science and technology educational outreach center. She just barely escaped for a few days to fly to New York to visit her friend, Tamika Bowden.

Since then, she and Tamika had been emailing back and forth regularly.  She also sent Wildstreak multiple updates for her exoskeleton, including some that were not even in use in Wakanda yet (though she made certain to omit this tidbit of information from her brother and the royal council).  

Tamika was still working as a science teacher in a high school in the Bronx when she was not patrolling the streets as a part time vigilante. She was living with her boyfriend, Eric Masterson, until a few months ago when he suddenly disappeared without a trace. Since then, Tamika had been consumed with searching for him.

In the midst of everything, Tamika maintained close ties with MIT since her father was a professor there. And he asked her about mentoring another young student during the summer as an alumnus. A fourteen year old girl from Chicago named Riri Williams, who was filtered into the same program that Shuri had been a part of five years ago. But Tamika’s plate was too full to travel to Boston during the summer. So she wrote to Shuri and asked if she might stop by and check in on the girl since she was coming to America anyway.

T’challa was not buying the explanation. “Coachella is in the spring -not the summer. Despite my appearance, I am not that out of touch, little sister.”

Shuri humphed, eyeing her brother’s outfit. He dressed like a sixty year old man instead of a young man in his mid twenties. Despite all of her effort as a concerned little sister, T'challa was still far too serious.  His life was completely consumed by duty and protocal. It was no wonder, Nakia, whose rebellious and wild ways Shuri had always admired, did not break up with him years ago. “If you must know, I plan to visit MIT. There is a young girl there… a genius, who Tamika asked me to check on.”

“Tamika -Tamika Bowden? You mean, the woman who use to be involved with Killmonger?” T’challa looked alarmed. “Why are you still in touch with her? This is not a good idea, Shuri.”

“Brother, you don't choose my friends for me.  And Tamika is my friend. Besides, she was with Erik Stevens before he became Killmonger. And, I'm not visiting her. I'm visiting the girl... Riri Williams.” Shuri replied, annoyed.  "I'm not sure how this is a problem.  In Wakanda, I'm two years past the age of adulthood and I'm months away from turning eighteen -the age of adulthood in America."

Shuri watched a wave of uncertainty cross her brother's usually stoic face, and she smiled to herself.  In the last year, T'challa had cut all ties and banished the remainder of the Hatut Zeraze after they sided with Killmonger during the Wakandan conflict. And his personal guards, General Okoye and Ayo, would not consider leaving his side for Shuri's little detour.  The rest of Dora Milaje were still in Wakanda, watching over the outsiders, so he currently had no one to send to babysit her. 

“Fine.” T’challa conceded. He knew he was not going to win this fight... nor any fight, involving a will of the minds against Shuri.  She would find some way to outsmart him in the end.

Then he had a clever thought. He did, however, have a secret weapon in his pocket, which was a perfect way to keep tabs on his little sister and help out one of his allies at the same time.  Returning Shuri's smug look with his own self-satisfied look, he replied,  “But since you are headed to MIT, I'll just let Tony Stark know. He has a young friend, who is taking classes on the campus for the summer semester. Tony has been attempting to find something for this eager young man to do.  I believe the two of you can keep each other company.”

“I don’t need your help making friends.”  Shuri snapped at her brother. She could just imagine the type of dead weight that her brother was trying to unload on her. “Besides, how much trouble can I get into?  I only plan to be there for a couple of days and then I'll rejoin you.”

“Good.” T’challa replied. “Then I should contact Tony right away.”

Shuri’s shoulders slumped. She knew that she lost this round.

Unbeknownst to anyone besides Shuri, she considered Tony Stark to be the closet thing to a rival, and she had begun a friendly but highly competitive race to continue to out do Stark Industries since she took over Wakandan Technological Development.

Though just recently acknowledged internationally, Shuri knew the tech coming out of her lab was still leap years ahead of anything Stark Industries had produced thus far... and far less destructive to boot. Hell she had built an exoskeleton more efficient than his armor, when she was only twelve. But Stark had already managed to poach his own version of her nanotech making his current armor much more efficient and streamlined. There was no way that she going to let him get any more of an edge now.

If Tamika felt the need to alert her to this young girl, it meant Riri was incredibly smart. Exactly the type who Stark might try to recruit. And now her brother was helping him out. But not if she could help it. “Whatever you say, my king. Just drop me off in Boston.”


	2. Lightning Always Strikes Twice

"I have a feeling that Eric's disappearance is connected to the disappearance of your boyfriend."  Tamika crossed the room and handed Dr. Jane Foster, astrophysicist, a glass of water.  The pale thin woman looked perpetually shell shocked.  Her brown eyes ping ponging around the room like prey sensing a predator closing in on her.  She jumped skittishly at every sound, and in the midst of New York city there were a lot more sounds than quiet.

Shakily Jane reached for the glass and put it to her trembling lips before countering.  "Ex-boyfriend... actually.  I haven't seen Thor in over two years.  Not since... well it's a long story."

Taking a few sips, she shook her head and then focused on the woman in the wheelchair.  "Why do you think your boyfriend has a connection to Thor? He is human, right?"

Tamika nodded.  "Yes. Eric is... or was human."

She paused hesitantly and then said,  "But I'm not so sure anymore."

"What do you mean?" Jane asked, curiously. Her brow crinkling up into a concerned frown.

"When Eric and I met, he was an architect.  Very talented but not unusually so.  He was in the military for awhile, years ago -and he had certain skills but nothing inhuman."  Tamika replied, explaining their history.  "I was after a man named Big John Buscelli... a mobster who was trying to extort my father for bionic weaponry.  Eric was after him too.  Buscelli and an associate named Carl Washington were selling guns to kids -as a result, Eric's son, Kevin, was shot and killed.  So he began working as a part time vigilante to bring the arms dealers down.  I encountered him and Sangre, another vigilante, during this time.  Sangre shot Carl while Eric and I got Buscelli.  In the process of dying, Carl confessed everything to Code Blue -you know, the task force.  And Buscelli is now locked up for life.  

Anyway... in the midst of everything, Eric and I fell for each other.  I fell for him hard, because he was so damn ordinary -the complete opposite of the guy who I loved before him. We began a relationship -everything was going great for a couple of years.  We were the most normal couple -outside of our vigilante gig.  Until one night Eric was attacked and badly injured while out on patrol by himself. No one saw his attacker -so I assumed it was one of Buscelli's old associates. He was taken by ambulance to the hospital before I arrived as back up, but by the time I got to the hospital, he had already left against medical advise.  

Later that night, he showed up at our apartment, he was acting as though nothing happened.  Completely healed -acting like I was crazy for worrying about him. He was carrying this enormous masonry hammer with him.  He couldn't explain where he got it from -it was almost like he didn't remember. The thing was so heavy, I couldn't even get it to budge from the table.  But he picked it up with ease -like it was absolutely nothing.  He brushed off most of my questions -but I knew he was hiding something.  I've been with a man, who hid parts of himself before... I know what that looks like.  

After that night, he kept disappearing for hours and then reappearing with that same damn hammer.  Every time, he acted like he had amnesia and he had no idea what I was talking about when I asked him where he was for hours at time.

Then one night, I woke up to a flash of light coming from the living room.  By the time I made it out here, the light was gone and so was Eric.  But I could have sworn I saw Thor standing in my living room for a second.   I haven't seen Eric since that night."

Jane's mouth hung open now.  Forgetting her skittishness, she put the glass down, stood up, and began to pace.  "When Thor and I broke up... he was acting a bit strange -even for him.  He kept talking about leaving earth on an urgent mission -but as usual he wouldn't tell me everything..."

Jane turned and looked at Tamika, sympathetically.  "I know what it's like to be in love with man who hides things from me, too."

"I've been doing a lot of research lately.  Trying to piece things together." Tamika stated ignoring Jane's sympathy.  "Witnesses say they saw Thor leaving the hospital the night that Eric was brought in half dead. And then other witnesses say that they saw Thor and Eric fighting some sort of creature together earlier that night.  I think maybe... I think they might have somehow merged..."

Jane stared at her blankly.

"-like they're sharing a body.  How else did Eric heal so fast? And how as a human man is he able to wield Mjolnir?"

Jane sighed.  "I learned long ago... when it comes to Thor, anything is possible."

Tamika rolled her eyes and gritted her teeth.  "I have the worst luck with men.  First I fall for a ruthless assassin bent on revenge and now a man possessed by a Norse god who is hopelessly in love with another woman."

"I wouldn't say all that." Jane's face turned a flushed pink color.  

"I would." Tamika retorted.  "But it’s my fault for choosing another man named Erik.”

She eyed Jane for a second. “You must know how to get in touch with Thor while he is away from earth... right?"

"Sorry.  I've never known how to reach Thor -he always contacts me... and sometimes he doesn't." Jane replied regretfully. When Tamika did not respond, she sighed and asked, "Do you have bathroom?"

"Back there." Tamika gestured absentmindedly. 

Jane disappeared for awhile as Tamika sat quietly in the living room stewing in her own thoughts.  Jane was a dead end.  She seemed to know even less than Tamika.  This was hopeless.  Eric was likely gone forever.  He had left her... just like Erik had left her.

Then suddenly she heard a piercing scream coming from the back.

 Instinctively, she pressed her finger over the pad on her wheelchair unlocking the port to her neuroprosthetic. Her exoskeleton unfolded itself in a wave of nano parts around her body to her neck. She stood up out of the wheelchair, pressing a circular clip attached to her ear lobe and releasing a holographic visor which obscured the upper portion of her face. Her vision sharpened with the visor and she caught sight of a woman standing in the darkness of the small hallway. The strange woman spoke with a husky voice which dripped with narcissistic confidence."No need for masks hun... I already know you are both Tamika Bowden and the superheroine, Wildstreak.  There is no need to hide from me."

 Seconds later, a tall man appeared in a deformed wooden serpent mask, which looked painfully seared to the actual skin on his face.  He held Jane, now unconscious, in his arms.  

"Who are you? And what did you do to her??” Tamika demanded.

"Don't worry, dear."  The woman replied patronizingly.  "Sombre's touch is deadly -but only if he keeps contact long enough.  Your friend will be unconscious for a few hours, but by the time we reach Wakanda, she will be awake -just feeling terribly sick." 

"Wakanda?" Wildstreak demanded, confused.  This was the last subject she expected to come up. "What about Wakanda??"

"Let me answer one question at a time, hun.” The woman moved -more like slunk like a cat into the light.  She was dressed in an expensive looking leopard print body suit and high stiletto heels.  She had to be close to six feet in the heels, and she looked like a supermodel with her long shapely legs and beautiful facial features.  Not able to help herself, Tamika felt slightly intimidated, even knowing that she could kick this woman's ass up and down the street in her exoskeleton.  "I am Madame Slay and this is my associate, Sombre. We're here to collect you for an old lover of yours... Killmonger -or as you probably knew him, Erik Stevens."

Tamika frowned.  "I haven't spoken to Erik in years.  And last I heard he was dead."

Irritated by the involuntary fluttering of her heart at the sound of Erik's name, she growled angrily under her breath.  "...and good riddens."

"He was dead until a few days ago." Madame Slay explained. "But the Mandarin and I brought him back with the help of our oracle Sombre and the resurrection alter beyond the chilling mist -the section of Wakanda, those who dare not enter call, Serpent Valley."

"That's impossible." Tamika scoffed, though looking at the strange oracle, she was not so sure it was impossible.  She knew first hand magic did exist.  She had, after all, just witnessed her boyfriend merge bodies and fly off -likely to another dimension, with Thor.

"It's been a long year.  But with the help of my herbs to preserve his body and the use of the Mandarin's rings to reanimate Killmonger's corpse intermittently, we were able to keep his body until Sombre emerged from stasis within the altar.  This allowed us to use its power to transfer Erik's essence back into the vessel. He is the only one who can survive ingesting the heart shaped herb needed to ascend to king."  Madame Slay narrowed her eyes at Wildstreak.  "But he is a stubborn man.  And he is still resisting us."

"During the time Killmonger's corpse was reanimated, his most lucent residual thoughts were of you.  There is no doubt that you are the only one who Erik Stevens loved and therefore you are the only weakness that we have to exploit."

"If you think there is anyone in this world -that man cares enough about to be manipulated, you obviously have no idea who you are dealing with.  Erik's selfishness took my legs and put me in that wheelchair.  I don't care if he's still alive... I don't care how he feels about me. He’s still dead to me.” Tamika voice hardened.

"I wouldn't so easily dismiss Erik's feelings for you." Madame Slay countered, looking at Tamika like she was a poor and innocent child.  "Wakanda has the ability to fully restore your legs. And Erik will do anything to correct what he did to you.  Even if it means accepting his new life and working for our cause."

"If Wakanda has the ability to restore my legs, Shuri would have told me about the procedure."  Wildstreak took a fighting stance.  "Shuri built this armor that I'm wearing..."

"Princess Shuri and her brother are freely sharing Wakanda's technology with the outside world."  Madame Slay agreed.  "But there are other secrets that they don't even freely share with their own people.  That armor is technology -newly created by our young princess.  What I'm talking about is ancient.  Dark magick that is kept locked away."

Tamika frowned and deepened her stance.  "I don't believe you.  So you're going to have to fight me in order to get me across that ocean.  Your friend's poison can't get through my armor.  And you don't look like much of a fighter, Madame whatever.  So it seems that Jane and I won't be coming with you to Wakanda today..."

"You're right." With a lazy and bored expression, Madame Slay looked down at her well manicured nails.  "I don't ever fight. It's so beneath the next queen of Wakanda.  I have others for that..."

Sombre opened his fanged mouth unnaturally wide, making a strange sound like an animal call.  Four enormous white gorillas wearing vibranium armor tore their way into the room.  Two came through the walls ripping the plaster to shreds and two from above through the ceiling, crashing down upon Wildstreak.  She fell back under the weight.  "Oh, shit!!"

* * *

 

Shuri looked over her shoulder as she hurried across campus and away from the brunet boy who was excitedly talking her ear off while chasing closely behind her.

He appeared out of nowhere as she sat on a bench outside of the physics building on MITs campus.  She was reading her tablet while waiting for Riri Williams to finish her last class, when suddenly he was sitting next to her, talking like they were old friends. Was he hiding in the bushes?  Confused, she asked, "Who are you??"

"Oh yeah! I'm Peter Parker!"  He shifted his books to his left hand and stuck out his right hand to shake.  "I knew you must be Shuri as soon as I saw you sitting here!  I was told to meet you here... by Mr Stark... You know Tony Stark -my mentor.  Great guy..."

Shuri stood up and walked away without a word.  This must be T'challa's spy.  He seemed like a nice kid... but boy, he did not get the hint easily.

Undeterred, Peter followed Shuri, continuing to talk about himself and how he had been working for Stark for the last year.  He described his difficult but lovable relationship with Happy, who he called his point man.  But after hearing Peter’s description of Happy’s duties, Shuri felt he was better labeled, a default babysitter.  "He doesn't answer my calls... or my texts often... but boy when he does! He is happy to hear from me...get it?  Happy is happy?"

Peter waved his fingers around and gave an awkward laugh as Shuri looked at him blankly.  "Well that joke didn't land."

"Anyway... Mr Stark can barely get anything done without my help."  Peter followed after Shuri as she walked away, continuing his rambling.  "He really wanted me to join the Avengers -but you know, I'm seventeen... and I have a life.  Besides, my best friend Ned and I -we gotta graduate next year and start our freshman year here.  And my Aunt May -she'd kill me if I got too distracted and let my grades slip in my last year. I just can't spend half my time off saving the world right now, ya know."

"So." Shuri turned so abruptly, Peter nearly jumped out of his pants. She narrowed her eyes at him.  "Who are you really and what exactly do you do?  Why would YOU be chosen to be part of the Avengers?"

Peter's eyes opened wide and a pink color formed around his ears.  "Did I say join the Avengers?  I meant as an assistant -an assistant to Mr Stark.  You know helping to hold his... coffee and stuff."

Shuri frowned and turned back around, walking away again.  Wiping his forehead, Peter followed again, relieved. She said over her shoulder, "I've done my research. And Stark doesn’t drink coffee. The caffeine gives him heart palpitations.  If I didn't already know you were full of it, I'd be suspicious that you're lying to me about who you really are."

"Why would I do that?" Peter squeaked.  He cleared his throat and then said in a deeper, calmer voice.  "You're about as happy as Happy usually is... ha! I did it again.  You know because Happy is always so unhappy... anyway." 

Shuri had enough.  Stopping abruptly again and causing Peter to run straight into the back of her, she hissed through clenched teeth,  "Look.  Peter is it?"

"Yeah. Sure. Peter Parker." Peter's eyes widened as Shuri's eyes narrowed.  She was just tall enough to be his same height, but he seemed to shrink a bit under her withering glare.

"It was lovely talking to you, Peter. But I have something important I need to do..."

"Really? What?" Peter asked, eagerly.  "I can come -help you out."

"Alone!" Shuri snapped, completely out of patience.

The pink began to spread from Peter's ears into his disappointed face.  "Oh yea.  Sure.  Well, I'll catch up to you later, then. Huh?"

Shuri shrugged and walked around him, whispering, "don't count on it."

As Shuri moved away, Peter's expression turned from innocent to calculating in an instant. He narrowed his brown eyes at her back and frowned.  This was going to be a lot harder than he first thought.

After a few feet, Shuri stopped.  She felt guilty about how badly she had treated Peter.  It was not his fault, her brother was so annoyingly overprotective.  She turned back around to apologize but the kid had already disappeared... into thin air. She inspected the immediate area around her.  He was completely gone. Sighing, she gave up and walked off.  "That kid is definitely strange."

 

 

 

 


	3. Magicks and Mutants

Madame Slay stood next to Killmonger on an overhang overlooking the enormous valley below.  "All of this... is Serpent Valley.  The land of your people.  Those who will follow you to the ends of this earth, my king."

Her leopards searched the area below for any intruders, usually desperate hunters or poachers, who dared to enter and succeeded to pass through the chilling mist, which protected the only way in or out of the isolated valley. "There are many reasons why those of us who live here have clung onto the hope brought by your ascension to the throne.  The main reason being that we are the part of Wakanda that the royals would love to cut off like a cancerous disease.  While T'challa protects outsiders in his palace, he banishes his own people to the outskirts or abandons them to the colonizers."

Quietly, Killmonger looked down upon the woman with interest. His height was noticeably enhanced an extra six inches, after ingesting the heart shaped herb that turned him into the black panther before death, only to be buried within the resurrection altar to be brought back.

"We once used all of the many sacred plants found only in Wakanda, in all ancient rituals and potions -not just the heart shaped herb used for the ascension of the new Black Panther.  But this has recently changed..."

"It started with King T'chaka's father.  He banned the old practices of magick used by oracles and sorcerers.  It was dressed as a movement towards progress and technological advancement.  But truly it was to contain the power found within the vibranium rich soil... the power to connect with the ancestral plane... only within the Black Panther lineage.  

Those who defied the decree were banished to Serpent Valley beyond the chilling mist. King T'chaka continued his father's callus methods by sending the Hatut Zeraze, soldiers who once loyally served the palace, out into the colonizer’s world as a sect of secret police.  Supposedly to protect and maintain Wakanda's secret identity, but truthfully, most of the Hatut Zeraze are descended from magicks.  Then as T'challa grew older and more influential with his father and the royal council, magick children were targeted in excess.  Any excuse was used to banish us from the north.  Those not banished were pushed into the Hatut Zeraze and sent as far away from the palace as possible.  Those like your father."

"So your saying my father was one of these... magick children?"  

"All of the Black Panther's offspring are... The rest of us are mostly the children of sorcerers or oracles. Those, who survived ingesting the mutated plants that contain high levels of vibranium, allowing the mutagen to bind to their DNA.  

Most Wakandans would be poisoned, but certain bloodlines, who have been ingesting these potions for centuries, have built up a resistance.  And those who live, tend to pass powerful talents on to their children.  Many of us are born with mental gifts.  Mine is the ability to communicate with felines... I have the strongest connection with the spotted leopards who roam Wakanda... perhaps because they ingest traces of vibranium in the meat that they eat.  Perhaps they are different than other leopards outside of this country. Why do you think that young princess is such a genius?  Her gift comes directly from her father's use of the heart shaped herb."

"And what about me? Do I have a gift?"  Killmonger narrowed his eyes at Madame Slay.

"The gift is less obvious in those of later generations.  Your grandfather would have been the one who ingested the heart shaped herb." She replied. "But after your father's murder left you abandoned in America as a child, you certainly would not have made it here to this moment... if you did not have a clear knack for survival."

"Sombre is not only a magick child but he is also the last of the Wakandan oracles, who do not directly serve the Black Panther.  

He buries himself within the altar of resurrection for months at a time. To maintain its connection to the ancestral plane and to draw upon the untouched veins of pure vibranium in the Valley's soil. It enhances his gifts and leaves the path open for recently passed souls. The vibranium is richest here because the Royals won't touch it. And we, magicks, live here safely only because most Wakandans still believe that Serpent Valley sits on cursed land.  

The myth tells the story of a voudon sorcerer named King Cadaver, who unearthed an ancient artifact... a stone which was first uncovered among the newly discovered vibranium deposits, during the time that we, Wakandans, like to call the vibranium rain. The artifact had a cursed power. It had the ability to control the path to the ancestral plane. To open it and close it at will. To bend and break the laws of life and death. The resurrection altar has only a fraction of the stone’s true power.

King cadaver planned to use the artifact to resurrect an army of the dead in order to overthrow the current Black Panther.  Before he could complete his plan, the Black Panther defeated him, and as he died, King Cadaver activated and buried the stone here, creating the resurrection altar and the wall of chilling mist... placing a curse on the valley.

 Like me, Sombre has a psionic gift that allows him to communicate with certain animals found here in Wakanda.  He ascended as an oracle among his tribe because he is the only human alive who can communicate with and control the violent white gorilla of the Jabari Mountains. The Jabari tribe worships the power of the white gorilla... so to them Sombre can speak directly to God. But eventually they were forced to banish Sombre from the mountains for using dark magick against neighboring witch priestesses, who live across the range in Kenya... attracting the wrath of a powerful rain goddess.

The Jabari tribe are the only Wakandans, who do not believe the myth nor follow the kings decree to end certain old practices.  Mainly because they do not worship Bast’s power like the other tribes. So Sombre has no fear of this land. And he now uses his power to serve us... to serve you. We will not be resurrecting anymore of the dead.  But you will lead an army of death to the palace gates."

At her words, bodies appeared around the edges the valley.  Hundreds of men and woman appearing like zombies painted in white and red like the bloody skeletons of the dead.  In between there were sprinklings of men dressed in all white armored suits very similar to the black panther suit and carrying automatic weapons.   "The Death Regiment and the Hatut Zeraze will follow you, my king."

Killmonger looked skeptically upon the rag tag army that appeared around him.  "I work alone. And I have my own plans.  This is your gig... yours and that friend of yours, the Mandarin."

"I'm giving this army to you.  Do with it as you please, my king." Madame Slay offered, moving closer to him so she stood in front of him.  She looked up at him intently, but he sensed a bit of resentment in her demeanor.

"Nothing comes for free.  Everything has strings attached." He scoffed.

"I already told you my price..." Madame Slay replied, placing her hand on Killmonger's muscular chest seductively.

For a moment, Erik considered the beautiful woman standing in front of him, offering power and herself to him freely. It was clear her intentions were not to help him but to help herself. Irritation over the manipulation burned just beneath the surface of his dark brown eyes, but he held himself back. Her offer was still very tempting no matter the intentions behind it.

 He decided that she might be worth trusting... for now.  But he needed more time to focus and to think.  Without a word, he turned away and walked back towards the woods.  "I've been dead for a year.  I need time to think."

"Take all the time you need, my king.  When you are ready, I will have a special surprise waiting for you." Madame Slay called after him.  Then she whispered.  "Follow him Preyy.  Keep him safe." 

The largest of the leopards broke away from the others and slunk off into the woods in the direction of Killmonger's path.

* * *

T'challa was irritated to find Fury's black SUV parked outside of the grand opening of the new outreach center in Harlem NY.  This simple trip to America was about to become a lot more complicated.  For a dead man, Fury still got around.

Sighing, he immediately walked over to the truck and motioned for Okoye and Ayo to stop, as he climbed into the backseat.  "Stay out here and wait."

Closing the door to the truck and settling into the seat, T'challa examined Fury quietly, waiting for him to speak.  Fury's hard face cracked a half smile. T'challa was one of the few people who made even Fury seem verbose and forthcoming.  He tried to play his role, though it did not feel quite right.  "I just received a report of an attack and possible kidnappings in the Bronx, New York."

T'challa continued to sit quietly without speaking, waiting for Fury to explain how any of that was the concern of the black panther or Wakanda. Fury sighed.  "Look.. I came to you first after we quarantined the area because three very large armored white gorillas were found with their heads severed clean off their bodies at the scene.  Half of the building has collapsed -so it appears the gorillas were fighting a superpowered human.  Which would fit... since the building contained an apartment belonging to Tamika Bowden, also known as Wildstreak."

Now T'challa looked concerned.  "White gorillas are only found in Wakanda -in the Jabari Mountains."

"I know."  Fury replied.

"And Tamika?" T'challa asked.

"She was nowhere to be found.  No one -including her father has heard from her since the incident.  Whoever was controlling the gorillas took her and another woman named, Jane Foster."  Fury stated.  He turned and looked intensely at T'challa. "We know Tamika has a connection to Wakanda through your sister, Princess Shuri, and previously through a man who called himself, Killmonger. Do you have any idea who these people who took her are -or what they might want?"

"No." T'challa shook his head. "None."

"Well, I was hoping you might take a look at the crime scene at least -see if you pick up any clues."  Fury replied, clearly not believing T’challa’s response.  "There is another agent, who I've alerted to this situation... she also knows something about white gorillas too. Don't be surprised if you encounter her there."

"I thought you said I was first."  T'challa observed.

"Semantics." Fury replied.  He handed T'challa a sheet of paper.  "This is the address."

* * *

 

General Okoye bent over the mutilated gorilla body and examined it.  She turned up her nose at the horrible smell after lifting portions of the body with her spear to inspect for markings.  Moving back towards T'challa, now in his black panther suit, she said, "It is definitely one of his... What is Sombre up to?  Traveling so far outside of Serpent Valley?"

Ayo looked at T'challa with worry in her eyes.  "Lately Sombre only emerges from the altar when it is in use...  Is it possible..."

"That they brought someone back -I think it is more than possible." Swiftly, T'challa moved forward through the rubble of the partially destroyed building towards the remainders of a wall that looked like it was sliced open by an enormous knife.  Then something caused him to stop abruptly.

Okoye followed closely behind him, then followed his line of sight as he stopped.  A woman materialized from the hazy fog that hung around the rubble.  She floated down, her white hair flowing in long brilliant tresses around her chestnut brown face.  Her eyes glowed just as brilliantly white as her hair, obscuring her pupils and making her look even more ethereal.  Okoye looked from the woman back to T'challa who was still standing like a statue, as though in a trance.  She elbowed him in the side.  "No. Freezing. Remember."

Releasing his mask from over his face, T'challa shook his head as though waking up and looked over at Okoye with narrowed eyes.  He continued forward, moving to greet the beautiful woman who just floated down from the sky.  "You must be the agent who Fury notified of this incident."

Squinting his dark brown eyes at her curiously, he asked, absentmindedly.  "Have we met before?"

"Ororo..." Storm extended her hand towards T'challa. "Ororo Munroe.  You must be King T'challa.  Yes.  I believe we had a brief encounter once... when we were both very young." 

"Yes... I remember you."  T'challa stated quietly, his intense eyes dancing with his pleasure.  Smoothly, he took Storm's hand in his hand and held on to it as though with no intention to let go. A rosy blush spread across Storm’s cheeks as she too remembered their short but very intense encounter over a decade ago.

Interrupting, General Okoye cleared her throat loudly. T'challa looked at her again and then down at his hand intertwined with Storm's hand.  Embarrassed, he let go of her hand and stammered, "Ummm... yes..."

But he never finished, as they were all distracted by the sudden appearance of a man dressed in a black sleeveless bodysuit. The man was crawling through the rubble more like an animal than a man.  He was rugged with unshaven stubble and a mass of graying dark brown hair, which was not well laid despite the entire jar of grease that he plastered over it in a failed attempt to tame its wild ways.  He agiley crept up to Ororo with a scowl on his face and gave T'challa the once over.  "Who the hell are you?"

"This is King T'challa -the Black Panther. Sir, this is Logan -better known as Wolverine."  Storm attempted a polite introduction, but Logan reached for a cigar from his pocket instead of taking T'challa's extended hand to shake.

"No need to be so formal."  T'challa shyly corrected Storm.  "You can just call me, T'challa."

"No. She cannot." Okoye whispered up to him, incensed.  T'challa ignored her.

"Great. Cause I ain't good with formalities, T'ch... panther guy." Logan growled as he made his way over to one of the dead gorillas.  "So what we got here, bub?"

"I'm guessing these white gorillas belong to the Wakandan oracle, Sombre... which is why Fury asked you to investigate."  Storm pressed onto business, attempting to avoid T'challa's tongue tied stare.  "When I still lived with my adoptive mother, Aindet, I had a few encounters with him as well -that's why Fury asked me to come." 

"And him..." General Okoye looked disdainfully at Wolverine.  "Why is he here?"

T'challa threw Okoye another annoyed look.  "Sorry.  My general doesn't mean to be so rude to your... boyfriend?"

"He's not my boyfriend." Storm laughed, embarrassed.  "Wolverine is a member of my team."  

She turned to Okoye.  "Despite first impressions, Logan is a good guy.  One of my most trusted partners. He will be helpful here."

Okoye looked skeptical, as Wolverine sniffed around the scene like a wild animal, but she only pinned her lips.  She whispered to Ayo as T'challa walked off with Storm.  "I've heard of this Wolverine... helpful was not the word used to describe him. He's an X-man... born a mutant.  She must be one too -which explains her entrance."

"The king appears quite taken with her already." Ayo observed.  

Okoye scoffed.  "Not surprising, but we must keep him on task.  Did you alert that Tony Stark, about this incident?"

"The young man who the king has watching the princess must keep an even closer eye on her until we figure out what Sombre is up to.  Princess Shuri was friends with this Tamika Bowden, which means she could be in danger too." 

 


	4. Geniuses and their Gadgets

Riri Williams hopped down from the crates that she stacked in front of a makeshift workbench crammed into the corner on the far side of her dorm room; the second single bed dumped outside in the hall.   Her entire room was stuffed full of mechanical parts.  So far the only items which gave any clue to what she was building were the two completed bionic arms that sat on top of the work bench.

“Well, Tamika had nothing to worry about.  You’ve already made yourself at home here.”Shuri observed as she attempted to sit down on Riri’s crowded bed.  The bed, a small television and PlayStation that looked like it was taken apart and put back together, and a scattering of posters of Star Wars: the force awakens, Michonne from the Walking Dead, A Tribe called Quest, Cosmos with Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Tony Stark partially in his Iron man armor tacked haphazardly to the wall, were the only indication that this was actually a living space. Even the closet was stuffed full of parts. Shuri wondered where she kept her clothes.

There were several pill bottles sitting on the small dresser next to the television. Shuri eyed the immunosuppressives and looked at Riri hestitantly. “You’re doing ok?”

Riri crossed the room quickly and pushed all of the bottles into a draw, closing it. “I’m fine.”

Shuri had done her research prior to meeting with Riri. The teen was diagnosed with lupus two years ago after her heart began to fail.  The cardiomyopathy progressed quickly to the point that she required a new heart and eventually, she was identified by Stark industries' rebranding department as the perfect candidate for a bionic heart powered by a version of Tony Stark’s arc reactor. After the surgery, Riri spent the next nine months recovering before coming to Boston for the summer program.

Several years before, she was identified as a genius when she was eleven, but Riri only decided that she planned to follow in Stark's footsteps as both an inventor/engineer and as an armored superhero, after his invention saved her life. Shuri was certain with Wakandan medicine, she could have offered the young girl more than a mechanical heart, but she only said, kindly. “Well you look great!”

Riri smiled shyly, quickly removing some of the parts that she had piled on the bed to allow Shuri some more room.

“What are you working on?”

“Well…” In a soft voice, Riri replied hesitantly, awkwardly tugging at the Lt. Uhura t-shirt that she wore with a distressed pair of boyfriend jeans and blue converse sneakers.  “I figured I might as well attempt to reverse engineer my own Ironman suit using some old parts that I confiscated around campus while I'm here. 

After, Mr Stark heard I was coming to his alma mater for the summer, he sent me a prototype dirt bike with a note telling me good luck in the MIT program this year.So I’ve been procrastinating... using the parts to update and modify the dirt bike instead.”

"How nice of him." Gritting her teeth, Shuri frowned. What exactly was Stark’s angle?“Can I see. Where is it?”

A bit more confident in her interaction with this new acquaintance, Riri smiled and nodded. Opening up the dorm window, she looked out to make sure no one was around.

"The bike is out there?" Shuri questioned as she looked out of the window too and down at the ground.  They were three stories up but she saw no signs of a dirt bike.

"Not exactly."  Riri pressed down on the face of the bands on her wrists. The faces opened up, unfolding over the palms of her hands like two metal gloves.  “While I was recovering from my surgery last year, I attempted to hack into Stark industries network.”

“Clearly a woman after my own heart.”Shuri commented.

”Mr Stark caught me ...but he didn’t press charges. He gave me these mechanical gloves instead.” Riri explained. She touched her chest where the arc reactor sat. “I modified them to work with the bike.”

Shuri raised an eyebrow.  Competing with Riri’s clear enamerment with all things Stark was going to be near impossible.  Defeated, she eyed the watches on Riri’s wrists with interest and compared them to her own bracelet.  

Then a beeping sound came from one of her beads, pulling her attention away.  Shuri moved away from the window and frowned. “Shoot.”

“What?” Riri asked, concerned.

Shuri inspected the wrist band.“One of the updates that I sent to a friend in New York was activated… and it's one that should only be activated as a last resort.”

Shuri rolled a bead into the palm of her hand and a virtual screen appeared above.Watching the images from Wildstreak’s visor on the screen, her eyes became wider and wider by the second.She swiped to another screen, attempting to communicate with the armor virtually but hissed in frustration as the screen disappeared again. “This is bad... something's jammed the signal again. And these images are delayed... from two days ago.”

Scowling and frustrated, Shuri said,  "I need the transponder from the armor to unjam the signal."

“Well if you need to get to New York City quickly.I have the perfect way.”Riri offered, pressing a few buttons on the mechanical glove. She lifted the glove up towards the window.The purring sound of a motor bike grew louder as it approached the window from the roof of the dorm.A few seconds later a hover bike appeared outside of the window.

The bike was elongated with the wheel rims modified to form two propellors.  The engine, transmission, and exhaust pipes were shifted slightly to accommodate the modifications, making the bike look less like the sleek and expensive vehicle that Stark enterprises sent and more like a flattened flying boat.

She placed a helmet over her head and handed the spare to Shuri.Snapping the visor down, she climbed out of the window onto the back of the bike, locking her glove onto the handle.  She yelled over the engine,“Come on!”

“Is this safe?"  Shuri looked skeptically at the gadget.  She was use to hover vehicles... but in Wakanda and approved by her lab.  "I know you’re smart -but you’re fourteen. And are you sure I shouldn’t drive?”

Shuri hesitantly followed Riri on to the back of the bike, after placing her own helmet over her braids. 

 “It’s fine.I’ve been riding a bike since I was five.” Riri replied, though she omitted the part about never having been on the back of an actual dirt bike.

 “Ok then.” Shuri wrapped her arms around Riri’s waist and held tight, as the hover bike sped off in the direction of New York City. 

Neither one of them noticed the mechanical spider that hopped aboard after Shuri.

* * *

 “What the fuck is so urgent that you called me back here, after I told you I needed time to think??”  Killmonger’s irritation was evident on his face as he entered the system of caverns that ran under the Serpent Valley cliffs at Madame Slay’s beckoning.  

For two weeks, he secluded himself deep in the jungle, during which time, Madame Slay considered all of the ways she could finally convince him to join their cause. Eventually, she gave in and called upon the Mandarin again, to use one of his Makluan rings to teleport her, Sombre, and four of his giant white gorillas to New York to obtain the one person who might be used to manipulate Killmonger.  Then finding herself in a bind after returning from her trip, she called Killmonger back to the valley early.

He ignored her the first two times that she sent her leopards into the jungle to call him back.But the third time the cats interrupted his meditation, Killmonger finally signaled for Preyy to let the leopards through and then followed them out of the woods back under the cliffs where he took his first breath.

Madame Slay paced in front of a large metal box, which sat in the middle of the cavernous room. She stopped and faced him.“Remember the surprise that I promised you before you left? Well there’s a problem.”

Killmonger stood quietly, but the anger that wafted off of him intensified two fold.Preyy growled from his side at Madame Slay, clearly no longer under her influence and drawing the line in the sand.She looked at the large leopard hesitantly.

“She’s in that metal box… and we can’t figure out how to get her out... safely.”Madame Slay pointed at the gigantic safe.

“She... who?” Killmonger narrowed his eyes suspiciously.  He crossed the room and inspected the metal box.It stood to just above his waist and its surface was completely solid with the exception of a large discolored groove that ran across one of the surfaces of the cube, as though someone attempted to cut their way inside and failed. There was also a small window or air hole that was opened into the top.As he touched the surface of the safe and looked into the opening, the metal came alive, sending a sharp electric shock that caused Erik to jerk away.

“It’s protected by a forcefield similar to the one that surrounds Wakanda.” Madame Slay stated.  “The only thing that gets through that forcefield is the Mandarin’s rings.”

 A glow now appeared from within the box and he saw that there was someone inside. 

The woman was clearly unconscious, floating in a stasis like state at the center of the box.  Her armor and the black body suit that she wore underneath were ripped to shreds, leaving her body mostly naked and exposing a small circular portwhich glowed beneath her skin at her lower spine.Without seeing her face, he knew exactly who was trapped in this box.  Even though it had been years since their last encounter, he had memorized every inch of her curves and angles.  She was his strongest memory after he returned to this world, dragged back kicking and screaming from death. Rage exploded from him, as he turned on Madame Slay pulling his long daggers from the sheaths on his back.“What did you do to her??” 

Instinctively, Madame Slay took a few steps back as her four smaller leopards surrounded her protectively, snarling at Preyy who paced confrontationally in front of Killmonger.“We did nothing to her.We wanted to make you feel more comfortable here.  And we know how you feel about her, so we went to New York to collect her for you, my king.  But she fought Sombre’s gorillas… held off four of them by herself actually.Then as they were finally getting the best of her, these metal plates appeared and began to protect her.Amazingly, three of the gorillas were killed in seconds - their heads severed completely off their bodies.  It was gruesome... But in the end, this box was left…

We tried everything to get her out... Sombre used every trick in his arsenal,  the Mandarin used his ring to try and break it open. But the electric field surrounding the box is connected to that device in her back... She started seizing as soon as he made a dent in the surface of the box.  Eventually we just moved the entire thing here.”

Frowning and standing back up, Killmonger re-sheathed his daggers. He turned back to the safe and called into the air hole, “Tamika! Wake up!”

“She can’t hear you.”Madame Slay offered.“I thought maybe there was some sort of time delay, and she would wake up on her own.  But it's been two days…” 

“The princess.” Killmonger stated, cutting off the woman.“Tamika gets her armor from the princess.She's the only one who knows what this is and how to reverse it.”

With fire in his eyes, he looked over at Slay and growled.“You’re gonna find the princess.  And you’re gonna bring her here.Now.”

Madame Slay nodded, obediently. “Yes… of course, my king.”


	5. Super Soldiers, Sorcerers, the Spiderman and the Surfer

Despite drawing a fair amount of unwanted attention to themselves as they sped across Massachusetts and Connecticut into New York City on the back of Riri's hovering vehicle, Shuri and Riri made it all the way to the Bronx without any issues. But halfway down 161st street, Shuri’s kimoyo bead began beeping at her again.

”Is it your friend again?” Passing the stadium and turning off the street, Riri asked distracted by the pulse of the beep coming from Shuri's wrist.

”No.” Shuri sucked in a deep breath sharply. She hoped to never hear this particular alert again. This day was just getting worse and worse.

 She built trackers into all of the armor that came out of her lab. Trackers that she could access remotely in order to provide virtual assistance.  The transponders used to access the nearby armor were long ago removed by the wearers.  However, they were unaware that the actual trackers were a part of the fabric and could not be removed. And the trackers also functioned to alert her whenever someone wearing the armor came into her vicinity.  

One of her inventions had just entered the vicinity.   Her kimono bead, meant to access Wakandan satellites for geo location, was the only detection to this particular type of armor, which had the ability to completely cloak itself and the wearer. She had spent a fair amount of time developing the enhancements on this armor, and it was very efficient, turning the wearer into a virtual ghost until they released the cloaking.  Nervously, she looked over her shoulder as the beeping became more persistent. They were close. Perhaps on the walls of a nearby high-rise, using the energy regulators that she built into the soles of their feet. “We’re being followed.”

Riri swerved a bit as she attempted to look over her shoulder for their pursuers.

”Watch the road!" Shuri warned.  "They won’t reveal themselves until they are in position to overtake us! And we won't see them until they reveal themselves.”

She wondered what Nkem and the other Hatut Zeraze were after. She thought they abandoned Wakanda after Killmonger died, traveling half way across the world to work as mercenaries in Beijing and Bangkok.  T'challa forbad them from returning, but Shuri was very vocal about her disagreement with this decision so it was unclear why they would attack her.

But whatever they wanted with her, it was not to talk. Seconds later, the first war dog appeared on the side of a nearby building, only feet from Riri's bike. He aimed his weapon and sent out a blast that skimmed by the back propellor knocking the hover bike off course. 

The dogs of war never missed a shot. But the blast just barely skimmed the back of the hover bike, sending it spinning. Riki's gloves were locked to the handles, so she rode out the spin, but Shuri lost her hold and was tossed off the back. 

She almost lost her lunch as she flew from the bike towards the side of another building, where a second war dog uncloaked ready to catch her. But somehow, he missed.   Suddenly, she felt herself thrown off course in mid air, after crashing unexpectedly into a flying body, which swung down from an unused crane sitting above. 

An arm wrapped tight around her waist, as her rescuer lifted her up and away from the numerous Hatut Zeraze who now appeared across the surface of the surrounding buildings.

Opening her eyes, she came face to face with two enormous white eyes and a red webbed mask.  Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his neck and gasped, “WHO are you??”

”I’m just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!” The masked man announced cheerfully as he agiley swung his way between several back alleys to get away from the pursuing soldiers. “Who are these guys after you, anyway?? They’re multiplying like roaches.”

In midair, he spun around his webbing with Shuri in tow, kicking away a Hatut Zezare who uncloaked nearby. Shuri gasped and then frowned. That voice sounded very familiar. “They were my bodyguards. Now I'm guessing they work for the same people who just kidnapped my friend.”

Shuri hung on tighter to the spiderman’s neck as he continued to swing between the buildings, dodging the flying debris and the blasts of the war dogs' vibranium weapons.

Finally recovering from the last spin out, Riri just barely kept up with Spider-man on her hover bike but was soon hit by another vibranium blast, destroying the back propellor and causing the bike to spin again. This time the vehicle caught fire and dropped.  She released her hold on the handles and pushed off the back of the tanking bike, activating both mechanical gloves. Each glove fired enough repulsive energy to push against the fall and slowed her descent to the ground. 

Then suddenly, Riri disappeared through an open portal.  And just like that she was gone.

Shuri, who had been watching the chaotic scene with batted breath, yelped.  “Riri!”

Also taken by surprise, Spider-Man swung through a second opening portal. His web snapped as the portal shut again behind him, causing him to roll with Shuri onto a thick layer of grass. 

Laid out on his back in the middle of Heritage Park with a shocked Shuri still clinging onto his neck for dear life, Peter attempted to quell his own racing heart. “What the?..”

He released his mask and took in a large mouthful of air, relieved he did not just die. Shuri looked down at him with wide accusing eyes. “I knew I recognized your voice! You’re that kid! T’challa’s spy!”

Now Stark's face appeared above them. He scowled down at Peter from behind expensive dark sunglasses. “Didn’t I give you the simple task of keeping yourself and baby black panther out of trouble?"

"Sorry, Mr Stark.  Won't happen again, Mr Stark."  Peter sat up straight like an antennae, causing Shuri to roll off of him onto the grass.

"It's alright, Kid. But you really screwed the pooch on this one. Good thing I keep a tracker on you and those wrist bands that I slapped on the other kid.”  Stark shoved a thumb in Riri's direction.  He switched the virtual screen off on his sunglasses.

Riri moved to stand next to Tony, looking up at him in awe. “Good to see you again, Mr Stark.”

”Yeah sure, Kid.” Tony waved at her absentmindedly.  

Shuri sat up, glared at Stark and gritted her teeth. “Stark.  Why are you here?”

She did not sound nearly as happy to see him as Riri.

Ignoring Shuri, Stark inspected the three teenagers in front of him, clearly having a thought. He turned abruptly to the strange looking man who stood behind him wearing an exaggerated red cape and said, “Apparently I’ve opened a superhero daycare now. Thanks. All three crumb snatchers recovered.”

The man raised an eyebrow and then floated... not walked... but floated away.

”It's great you’ve found your people.  But I came to investigate reports of the use of the mystic arts in this area...” Dr Strange looked around the park. “Witnesses state teleportation... a very rare art... was used to move through this park. This powerful sorcerer maybe linked to this feeling of dread that I've had for the last few days.”

”Umm... teleportation?  A friend of mine doesn’t live far from here.” Shuri interjected. “She was just attacked by several giant armored gorillas who were likely controlled by a well known oracle from my country.  It's unlikely they came from Wakanda by conventional means. If teleportation was used here -it might be connected to Tamika's kidnapping.” 

“We were just headed to her apartment... or what’s left of it -when the Hatut Zeraze showed up."

"The what and the who?" Stark looked over his sunglasses at Shuri.

"The Hatut Zeraze... it means Dogs of War." Shuri explained.  Stark continued to look at her blankly.  "Never mind."

"Umm... Mr Stark, who is he?" Peter stood watching Dr Strange as he floated around looking for clues in the area. 

Stark turned from Shuri back to the sorcerer.  "Good question. Who are you again?"

"Dr Stephen Strange.  Master of the mystic arts." Dr Strange introduced himself before moving into a position of meditation, in which he hovered slightly above the ground.  A card filled to capacity with fanciful golden script appeared in mid air and dropped into Stark's hand, reading: 'Dr Steven V Strange, Sorcerer Supreme & Master of the Mystic Arts. Located most often at the Sanctum Sanctorum, 177A Bleecker Street, New York City, NY 10012-1406.  Specializes in uncovering majestic phenomena, deciphering odd occurrences, and identifying signs of vengeful magical tactics.'

"Tony Stark. Billionaire owner of Stark Industries... now Stark International. Inventor of all of this tech you see in front of you here... with the exception of whatever the princess has there.  All while maintaining his stunningly handsome good looks -I might add." Stark introduced himself, holding out his hand for Dr Strange to shake.

But the sorcerer only opened one eye and looked disdainfully at the extended hand for a second before returning to meditation. He growled under his breath.  "I know who you are..." 

Undeterred, Stark pointed to the three teenagers behind him.  "These three crumb snatchers are... Peter Parker, Riri Williams, and Princess Shuri of Wakanda.  Now that we're all acquainted, maybe you'll tell us why you are after the Mandarin." 

"I have no idea who the Mandarin is." Strange stated.

"What is he?" Riri tilted her head a bit, attempting to figure out just how Strange was managing to hover a foot above the ground.

"He claims to be some sort of magician.  I was sent by Fury to look into the teleportation reports because it's most likely the Mandarin's tech... not a sorcerer." Stark explained in a low voice to the teens.  "When I arrived, I found this guy here mumbling about the mystical arts and an approaching crisis.  That's when the Wakandans sent a message to locate you. Approaching crisis solved.  This wizard is a bit coo coo, but he did save your asses."

"Master of the Mystic Arts.  And that is not the approaching crisis of which I speak." Dr Strange corrected Tony from his position, floating with his legs crossed. He had been sitting in what appeared to be a trance, but suddenly opened his eyes.  "This is all too far above your head, Stark."

"Do you do parties too?" Stark asked the sorcerer sarcastically.

Strange twisted his mouth arrogantly. "By the way, more of your friends have arrived."

Drifting to his feet, Strange moved his hands in a circular motion ready to throw two more spells.  As Shuri's bead started to chirp again, they all turned to watch as three soldiers uncloaked and emerged from the trees that lined the park.  Nkem lowered his vibranium gun, handing it to the soldier standing next to him.  He released his mask and held out his hands, palms up in surrender as he approached them.  "Princess Shuri, we've just come to talk."

"Oh no." Stark said stepping in front of Shuri.  He unlocked the port on his chest.  His armor rippled across his body in a wave of nanotech.  He lifted his palm up towards the Hatut Zeraze aiming one of his repulsers.  "The princess is currently under my supervision.  So no princess-napping will be happening here today."

Shuri moved out from behind Iron man, and threw Stark an annoyed look.  "Let me handle this, please.  This is Wakandan business."

Stark frowned at her, confused.  Shuri placed a hand over his armored hand, motioning for him to lower it.  "They won't hurt me.  I have this."

"You're absolutely right, Princess. Not my fight.  I just have to tell your brother that I tried."  Stark shrugged, releasing his own mask and putting his hand down without a fight.  He looked at Strange, who looked back at Tony with the same confusion in his eyes. Stark motioned for him to lower his hands too. "Wakandan business. She has this."

"What are you doing here, Nkem?"  Shuri approached her old body guard.

"We came to retrieve you.  We need you to help your friend, Tamika Bowden."

"You know where she is then?" Shuri asked, excitedly.

"She's in Wakanda.  In Serpent Valley... with Killmonger."  Nkem replied hesitantly.  "She's still unconscious and inside the armored box... you're the only one who can wake her up and get her out."

Shuri sighed.  "The signal is jammed. I need the transponder from the armor to unjam the signal.  Then I need the equipment in my lab to remotely heal Tamika.  She's taken too much damage to just open the box without healing her first.  She'll die otherwise."

Nkem shook his head.  "Princess, Killmonger won't let her out of his sight.  You'll have to come to her."

"Fine." Shuri stated. "I'll tell him what I need to do to save Tamika, myself.  Take me there."

 Nodding, Nkem spoke into the com around his neck. "This way, Princess."

Shuri turned back to the group.  "I'm going with them back to Wakanda."

"You're sure about this?" Stark asked Shuri.

"It's fine.  Just tell my brother I'm ok and where I am." Shuri replied curtly, as she followed the soldiers into the trees. At least, she thought it was fine.  She knew the Hatut Zeraze would not hurt her, but Killmonger was a totally different story.

"See. Approaching crisis solved." Turning back to Strange, Stark crossed his arms and looked satisfied as Shuri walked off with the Hatut Zeraze.

"Nope.  Not yet." Strange circulated his hands again, opening two more portals that sent himself, Stark, and the two remaining teens back to his enormous and creaky mansion.     

The jolt of magic was so abrupt, Peter and Riri looked as though they were about to lose their lunch.  Peter squeaked, "Could you quit doing that without warning us first?!"

Also looking shellshocked, Stark released the rest of his armor and wiped his forehead.  "I have to agree with the kid here.  I know your mystical and all... but a nice private jet is more my speed."

Strange held up a finger at them.  "There is something coming.  Wong?!"

Wong appeared from another portal. "Welcome back Strange."

"Anything here?" Dr Strange looked around the large room confused.  Just as Wong was about to reply, a loud crash came from above them and a form slammed into the ground, tearing through the steps that spiraled up to the second floor of the large house.

Shocked, all five approached the large hole created beneath the falling intruder.  At the bottom of the hole lay a semiconscious man, unclothed and completely covered in metallic silver.  He moaned,  "...Strange... I need to speak to Strange..."

"I'm Strange." The sorcerer leaned further down to look into the hole. "Who are you?"

 

 


	6. To Kill or Be Killed

“I’ve decided to take you up on your offer.”  Killmonger stated, his back turned to Madame slay and the Mandarin.  His words sounded cooperative but his demeanor and the tone of his voice was anything but cooperative.  He had been watching both of them with accusatory eyes ever since Madame slay showed him Tamika’s armored box.

”So you’ve finally started using those infamous brain cells of yours.” The Mandarin quipped.  His patience was wearing much thinner than Madame slay’s.  “And you’re ready to hear the details of our plan then??”

”Nah.” Killmonger turned and looked at the older man with intense eyes. “Your plan has too many holes. If you want Tony Stark after I get T’challa, we’re gonna do it my way.”

The mandarin opened his mouth to protest but Madame slay spoke first.  She asked suspiciously, “Why the sudden change of heart, my king? It doesn’t have anything to do with the woman in that box? Because the deal is... I get to be your queen.”

”You’ll be my queen, but you’ll make sure Tamika walks away from Wakanda whole.” Killmonger sneered at Madame slay. “And if you’re lying about curing Tamika’s paralysis, you’re gonna wish you left me dead.”

Madame slay rolled her eyes. “I don’t lie about magick. I’m just not sure you’re telling your truth, my king.  Are you going to willingly let her go?”

”Don’t worry about that.” Killmonger dismissed her concerns, walking away from his two allies and abruptly ending the convo. “Just worry about upholding your end of the bargain. You trust me to be your king. Trust that I’ll do what needs to be done when the time comes.”

 

* * *

 

“Princess...”

Shuri’s head rolled forward as she began to wake up out of the drugged fog.

”Princess... wake up!” Impatiently, Killmonger shook her shoulder roughly, pushing her consciousness fully into this world.

“Where’s Tamika?” She mumbled as she sat up and looked around her.  The other woman in the small cell, Jane Foster, was awake and was watching Erik nervously.  He ignored her and stood up to his full height, towering over Shuri.

”Get up.” He motioned for Shuri to follow as he turned to walk out of the cell.

She attempted to stand up on her wobbling legs but collapsed again. Undeterred, she looked over at Jane. “What about her?”

Killmonger looked annoyed but he doubled back and helped Shuri up. He supported her and walked towards the door again. Pausing he called over his shoulder. “You better come on if you’re coming, colonizer. Otherwise you can stay here and rot with the rest of Madame slay’s collection.”

Jane hopped up to her feet and  quickly followed them out into the lit hallway. 

“Now that I did you a favor.” Killmonger dragged Shuri along, pulling her into a large cavernous room which contained the armored box at its center. “You’re gonna do one for me.”

Shuri pushed Erik away and moved slowly towards the box. “I’d help Tamika no matter what. Despite doing you a favor.”

Scowling, Killmonger moved around the box until he was facing Shuri. “My men tell me you need to fix something on this box, and you need the tech in your lab, to save her.”

Shuri screwed up her mouth as Killmonger referred to the Hatut zeraze as his men, but she only nodded. She looked at her wrist. The bracelet was gone. “Where are my kimoyo beads?”

”You’re gonna fix the box and then I’m gonna let you and this colonizer go.” Killmonger informed her. “You’re gonna heal Tamika from your lab and open this box, and then you’re gonna convince your brother to meet with me... you got four weeks... in a neutral spot.” 

“Why would I do that?” Shuri narrowed her eyes at Erik.

”Because I got your bracelet, which means I got access to everything that you got access to.” Killmonger crossed his arms over his chest and looked at her smugly. “Nkem caught me up to speed on how the beads work. And he let me know about the tracking capabilities in every suit you’ve ever created as well as the ability to remotely access all of your inventions including the vibranium mines from those beads.  So you gonna set up the meeting. I hand the bracelet back... we all get what we want.”

”I need my bracelet to access Tamika’s armor.” Stubbornly, Shuri crossed her arms too.

”Nah.” Killmonger shook his head sitting down on a nearby shelf unfazed. “You’re not that stupid.  The bracelet is just for traveling. You got back up access in your lab.”

He pulled one of the long daggers from his back and pointed it at the box. “Now do what you need to do princess.”

 


	7. Warrior Women and Wakanda

Okoye stood facing the swirling wall of mist that they had to pass through to get into the valley.  "Let me go first, my king."

She looked over at T'challa giving him a warning look. "Do not follow me until I return and signal that it is ok."

T'challa placed his hand on Okoye's shoulder.  "Just make sure you return, General."

The wall of chilling mist was rumored to be a sentient being.  The manifestation of King Cadaver's earthbound spirit.  And when one entered the mist, he could choose to show you the way into the valley or leave you lost and drowning in a pool of hallucinations.

It could be just a myth, but Okoye was doubtful.  As the Dora milaje general, she had traveled to all corners of Wakanda even the remotest valleys and the mountainside, yet she had never met a Wakandan who was not at least wary of Serpent Valley.  Only the most desperate dared to travel here.

She placed the tip of her spear across the border causing the metal to bend and swirl like the concentrated condensation.   Hesitantly, she looked at the two Dora Milaje standing to her left and her right.  She nodded ok and then she alone stepped across into the mist.

After she crossed, Okoye lost several minutes.  One second, she was standing there looking at the mist and the next she was waking up to a warm lavender and maroon sky.  She heard the whispers first even before she opened her eyes.

"Okoye! Wake up!"

The world around her whispered in her ear and wrapped around her shoulders, warming her soul. She felt like an infant in her mother’s arms again. The instant connection kept her on her back, as she attempted to gain her bearings.  

Finally gaining her legs back, Okoye stood up and walked forward to a slow moving stream which reflected the soft light of this plane like a mirror.  A line of women kneeled by the stream, dipping their hands in the water.  She recognized the woman closest to the spot that she took on the bank. Her grandmother, N'gozi, the previous general who trained her from a young girl before passing the mantle onto Okoye.  

Moving to her mentor's side, she kneeled down too and whispered,  "General.  Where are we?"

N'gozi looked at Okoye with sympathy.  "I’m disappointed granddaughter. You don't recognize your own ancestors? You poor girl.”

Hesitantly, Okoye leaned forward and looked down the line of women.  The closest women were all dressed like modern Dora Milaje.  Most of them previous generals.  Further away, perhaps hundreds of years down the line, the women's dress shifted to a more outdated uniform which used less metal and more bone and ivory.  At the same time the line split, crossing the stream.  The women, who crossed the stream, stood with heads bent and backs hunched as though holding a heavy weight.  They wore rags and their bodies were saddled with heavy chains.  This line of women led to a vast ocean that Okoye just noticed lay beyond the plane.  The line continued until it disappeared underneath the red ocean waves.

Sighing deeply, Okoye looked away.  She did not want to see this.

 Her tribe was one of the tribes, who traveled from the region now known as Benin during the vibranium rain a thousand years ago, the period when vibranium was discovered throughout what would later become Wakandan land.

Okoye's tribe split during this period leaving those, who stayed behind in the west, vulnerable to larger neighboring tribes.

 Those, who came to stake their claim over the precious metal as one of the eighteen tribes, brought with them the vodun traditions of west africa.  Their tribe, known for its fierce warrior women, became very influential in Wakanda. The most prestigious fighters took up the mantle as the black panther’s queen.  

But they left behind too many in the west.  So hundreds of years later, the tribe split again, and many of the women left Wakanda to fight for the freedom of their enslaved sisters and brothers left behind.  Those, who remained in Wakanda, feared this would make the country vulnerable to colonizers.  So these warrior women became the first Dora Milaje, training young girls from all eighteen tribes to protect Wakanda's closed borders... even from the return of their own sisters.  

"What is the purpose of this." Okoye hissed at her grandmother. 

N'gozi pointed past her.  "Look to your left."

Okoye looked the other way, noticing there were girls kneeling on the other side of her.  Young girls with their heads shaven, wearing the simple armor of a Dora Milaje in training.  She recognized her own student sitting directly to her left, Kimbye.  The line of girls extended down the winding stream a bit and then it also diverted off, crossing the stream. The young girl’s clothing changed from the traditional armor of an apprentice to more Westernized dress.  But the line did not split.  It just ended.

The girls across the stream were bound in wires that attached to plugs shove brutally into their bodies.  Their eyes glowed a bright blue color as they stared off in the distance blankly.  The line of girls did not even make it to the ocean.  It ended abruptly.  The grass soaked in blood. 

Okoye yelped covering her mouth as a skeletal face appeared in front of her. He was dressed in a large red and yellow cape, stringy blond hair hanging from his skull. The gnarled face screeched at her. "General Okoye! Wake up! Death is coming to Wakanda...”

She felt herself thrashing around as she began to come out of the dream state.  This was not the ancestral plane.  This was something else.  Opening her eyes, her entire body jerked violently as she waded halfway in the mortal earth and halfway in the plane beyond.

 Ayo looked down at her general with concern.  "She's waking up, my king!"

T'challa’s face appeared now.  "Okoye, are you ok?"

The general sat up and grasped hold of T'challa, her eyes wide with fear.  She held tight to him as she took deep breaths, attempting to slow her racing heart.

 Unsure how to deal with such fear in his hardened general, T'challa pat Okoye's shoulder comfortingly. "What happened to you in there?"

Okoye moved away, as though just realizing she was holding on to T'challa like a lost child. She straightened her armor and shook her head.  "I'm fine. How far did I make?" 

"Not at all." Ayo replied.  "You fell back out as soon as you stepped into the mist."

T'challa’s worried brow furrowed as he inspected Okoye. He could tell she was not fine.  Whatever she saw in there had scared her to death.  "We'll have to find another way to get to Shuri. Perhaps Ororo might be able to help.”

Becoming more herself, Okoye scowled at T'challa.  She thought about what the voice had said to her that scared her more than anything. As she crossed back into reality, she heard it whispering to her, begging her to bring it more power.  Ororo Munroe would definitely be more power... but what would be the end result? Okoye shook her head defiantly.  "We shouldn't involve the mutants."

“I don’t believe I was asking for permission.” T’challa gave Okoye a knowing look. “Ororo is a friend.”

“Yes... but...” Okoye started.

As she spoke, two forms emerged from the mist.  T'challa left Okoye's side and stood up.  "Shuri??"

The forms finally materialized fully and Shuri appeared with Jane Foster. Relief flooded her face as she smiled at her brother and ran to hug him.

 

 


	8. Difficult Love

'Tamika... Time to follow your heart, Beautiful...'

"Huh?" Tamika looked over her shoulder for the whispering voice.  It floated on the breeze from some unknown destination sweeping up the plastic cover behind her.  The drafty warehouse, where she hid among the shadows spying on a covert meeting, was cavernous to the point of swallowing up even the tall stock shelves that were lined up in neat rows at the center.  Shaking her thoughts straight after deciding the voice was just part of her imagination, Tamika pressed a button to her right earlobe and released the virtual visor across her face.  She allowed it to sharpen and focus her vision, giving her full view of the men standing in a huddle just beyond the first few rows of stock shelves.  Then she placed the plugs in her ears to amplify her hearing and pressed the final button on the bottom of her throat to obscure her voice and act as a com.

"Eric..."  Tamika whispered.  Only static answered back in her ears.  Where was he?  He was supposed to meet her here twenty minutes ago.

The men standing together in the middle  of the warehouse began to move.  She could not wait much longer or they would disappear before she could fully identify the contact.

The two, whose faces were towards her, were made.  Italian.  Staten Islanders.  They moved quickly up the ranks after Buscelli was put away for life.  The tall man, who faced away from her, was definitely not Italian.  He had a rich dark brown complexion, was muscular and very tall. He dressed more like the muscle than like the brains.  But it was apparent that he was doing most of the talking though she could not hear him clearly with her amplifiers or see his lips to read them.

The third man did seem familiar too though she could not see his face clear enough to place him.   But deja vu was causing her head to spin. She knew him... maybe very well, once upon a time.  

As the men moved, Tamika followed, agiley keeping herself hidden from the men who stood watch above on scaffolding in the rafters.  The three moved slowly, continuing to talk among themselves.  So Tamika made her way around to the front of them before doubling back.  She needed to see the face of the third man.  Now that Carl Washington was gone, he was their likely contact in the Bronx.  

'Take a good look...'

The voice came again, causing Tamika to jump and lose her footing.  She bumped into a shelf that she was passing and knocked off a box. CRASH!!

"Shit." She said under her breath.  She tapped the side of her head with her hand.  What was going on with her?  Hearing voices.  Losing focus. "Get it together, girl."

The three men turned in her direction at the sound of the falling box.  She dipped back behind the next shelf, but they saw her anyway. The two mafia began to yell to their men above.  But the third man came after her.  

He was swift though she was swifter.  And she also had to avoid the men targeting her from above.  Gunfire came in her direction.  She lifted her right arm up, the nano parts extending out and taking on a rounded shield like shape in order to protect her head.  As she ran by the scaffolding that held the men with guns.  She swung the arm at the metal poles and planks, knocking them to the ground. 

Heading towards the front of the warehouse, she turned around and took a defensive stance as soon as she found a corner to protect her back. Then she came at her purser.  Her right arm now extended into a sharp edged blade.  But her left fist stopped just inches from his chest.  The blade extended towards the bottom of his throat but stopped short too.  Recognition hit her like a speeding train as soon as her purser came into full view.  She gasped, "Erik??  But... you’re dead..."

Though he was always tall compared to her, Erik was even taller than she remembered.  His locs were longer and plaited back out of his face. He reached down and pulled her towards him. The blade sliced superficially into the skin on his neck causing him to bleed, but he ignored the pain. She tried to struggle away from his grip, but soon found that her body was paralyzed as though his eyes had locked onto her and would not let her go. She felt herself melt into his embrace.  The whispering voice came from him.  It was his voice.  "I came back for you..."

...Tamika gasped and opened her eyes with a start.  

A soft moan slipped from her lips, as she found herself staring at a dark ceiling.  She frowned.  Where was she??

That was definitely not the typical plaster ceiling found in western homes and buildings.  The surface moved in waves as though it were made of living organisms.  But she could not quite place what the material was or how it was able to twinkle with soft white light as though holding a portion of the brightly lit night sky.

Her entire body ached.  She thought about sitting up to look around, but she hurt so badly that she decided against it.  Then she recalled the four armored gorillas on top of her, pounding at her exoskeleton until it gave in.  She lost consciousness soon after that, so she wondered how much damage had been done to her body.  Looking down at herself, she noted that she lay on top of and was covered by soft fur.  She moved enough to lift the fur and uncover herself.  A white cloth bound her breasts and a small pair of white shorts barely covered her pelvis.  The rest of her body was bare but there were no visible scars.  

Finally, she turned her head to look around the room.  She was not alone. The shadowy outline of a large man sat by the far wall and next to the only door in the room.  He sat on the ground with his knees up and his head down.  She wondered who he was and why he was here in this room with her.      

Then she remembered the version of Erik in her dream.  A taller Erik with longer locs braided back from his face.  Her heart began to thump wildly in her chest.   She recognized those features in this shadowy man.  Her voice came weakly from her throat.  "Erik..."

 The man lifted his head up from his arms and looked over at her.  "Tamika."

 Hesitantly he moved across the room towards her and knelt down next to the side of her bed.  "You’re up finally."

"Where am I?  Why am I here?" 

"The people who brought me back, brought you here. To Wakanda.” He stated, vaguely.  

Tamika remembered the tall woman and the deformed man intruding in her apartment.  "Are you behind this??  Did you send them to kidnap me?? Where is Jane?"

"Nah. That wasn’t me. Madame slay did this all on her own." Erik stated firmly. “Nothing else happens to you that you don’t want... not while I’m breathing.”

He looked intensely into Tamika’s brown eyes and crossed his arms over his muscular chest, and she knew he was telling the truth.  Attempting to avoid looking down at his bare upper body, she could feel the blood rush into her face as his arms and pectoral muscles became even more well defined, eventually forcing her to look away all together.

“What?” Erik asked innocently, smirking at her clear embarrassment.

“Nothing.” Tamika mumbled irritated.

"Don't worry. Your colonizer left with the princess about a week ago."

"Shuri?  Shuri was here?” Tamika’s eyes shot back to Erik’s face eagerly.

"She's the one who healed you... after I had her brought here to fix that armored death trap she created for you." Erik shook his head, looking at Tamika with a hint of amusement. His smirk deepened as she frowned at him. His dimples now appearing. "You still trying to be a vigilante, I see. Still just as beautiful and bullheaded as ever.”

The corners of her mouth curling into a smile, Tamika pretended to ignore his sarcasm and asked, "Where is she now?"

"I let her go, so she could heal you.  She's back in the main city.  She had to heal you from her lab."

"Why didn't you let me go with her then??" Tamika demanded glaring at him furiously.  Even more angry after allowing herself to indulge in his flirtation. "If you didn't ask them to kidnap me, why didn’t you tell that woman -Madame slay... to let me go?”

Erik’s face darkened again and he did not respond.  Instead, he quietly reached out to move her hair, which hung in a tangled mass of curls, from her face.  Forgetting about the aching pain that coursed through her body, Tamika’s rage snapped, knocking his hand away and then reaching out to slap him across the face.  He was quicker, grabbing her arm before she made contact.  She tried to pull her hand back, but he held onto her firmly.  

"I'm never going to forgive you, Erik.” Tamika narrowed her eyes at him, the anger filling her entire chest ready to burst out.  Grinding her teeth, she wanted him to hurt as badly as he had hurt her. "Not for lying to me and manipulating me.  Not for almost killing me and taking my legs.  You should've stayed dead."  

Erik let go of her arm. His face remained hard but his eyes looked sad.  "You can hate me. I don’t expect you not too. But that don’t change how I feel about you nor what I'm willing to do for you, Beautiful."

“Don’t call me that.” Tamika snapped.

Ignoring her, Erik moved away again and sat down in his spot by the door. "You need more rest.  No one’ll touch you here. When you’re better, I'll show you Wakanda." 

"I don't want to see Wakanda. I don’t want anything from you.” Tamika spat back with venom in her voice.

When Erik did not respond, she lay back down and looked up at the ceiling.  She had no wheelchair or exoskeleton.  She would have to literally crawl her way out of the room to get away from him.  Turning her head, she saw that he had his head down on his arms again.  She looked back up at the ceiling which seemed to have shifted completely and wondered what the hell it was made out of.

* * *

 

It turned out the hut and all of the structures within Serpent valley were made up of a combination of living tree limbs and the millions of symbiotic microorganisms that lived off the vibranium deposits surrounding their roots.  The microorganisms were trained to bend and mold the limbs into structures that humans could inhabit. It was these creatures that Tamika saw moving on the ceiling that first night.

The microorganisms had a habit of congregating at the top of the structures, near the branches and leaves, at night and during dark cloudy days.  They communicated with each other through fluorescence providing a ceiling and dim light within the structures. While the sun was out, they moved down towards the cool soil where they collected the traces of vibranium found at the roots.

Despite Tamika's angry objections and a lot of nasty cursing, every morning, Erik picked her up from the bed and carried her out of his small hut to set her up in a tangle of twisted tree limbs that created a throne on his porch overlooking the colorful valley below.  He brought her food and drink that she refused until her stomach violently protested, and then he instructed the women, who came to his home from the only village in Serpent valley, to bath her in the herbal remedies that Madame slay provided. 

For the rest of the day, he left her alone, training Preyy to stick closely by her side while he was gone. 

And despite her flat refusal to allow Erik to show her around the portion of Wakanda that had become his home, Tamika’s curiosity was piqued by the beauty ofthe place.Eventually she could not resist its magnetic pull, and she ventured out on her own.

Though fearful of Erik's enormous wild cat at first, Tamika began to enjoy the leopard’s company. In the mornings, Preyy lay with his head on her lap, allowing her to stratch behind his ears as he produced a guttural purr and eyed Erik slyly with as smug an expression as a leopard could create.  After Erik left for the day, he allowed her to slid onto his back so she could leave Killmonger’s hut and travel down the path to the village. 

Mostof the structures in the village were simple and were an actual part of the jungle that surrounded all sides of the valley.  But the tools used by the people were far more advanced than anything that she had seen in the United States.Many of the people worked in combination with animals, who seemed to supernaturally understand the instructions given to them.Prey and predator moved side by side among the people of the village as if this was normal.

As for the enormous valley itself.  It was a vast savannah filled with many strange and colorful creatures that Tamika never knew existed.The name of the valley came from the species of small raptors who ruled the southern most portion of the valley.Actual dinosaurs who stood to about the height of a small adult and lived in the network of caves in that region.

Tamika overheard some of the older men in the village explaining to a group of boys that an ancient stone buried deep beneath the valley had managed to protect the creatures who lived within the valley from the phenomena that killed off all of the other prehistoric reptiles. 

But even more breathtaking than the natural beauty and the alien technology of the valley were the vast array of the brown and black hues of its people. From the very top of the village hierarchy to the very bottom, variations of ebony, chocolate, chestnut, mahagony intermingled. Their clothes were a mix of colorful cloth and molded mechanical parts stolen from the main city, creating an odd combination of what looked like traditional garb and futuristic wear from some distant planet.  Tamika had never seen anything like it.  Their dark brown and black hair was free of all the heat and the straightening chemicals and was kinked and curled and beaded and twisted and braided proudly. As an American, Tamika had imagined this... but she had not truly known and felt this until she saw it with her own eyes.

Now Tamika spent most of her days in the village.  Listening to the stories and playing with the young children.  When she could, she helped the women with their daily chores to make herself useful. 

The people were more than welcoming to Tamika and often referred to her as ‘the new leader’s wife’ or ‘their stolen daughter’ in their language. The older women who came to Erik's hut every morning to help her bath, fussed over her, adopting her without even a second thought. The women insisted that they twist her long thick hair and decorate the locs with the beaded ornaments worn by the other established women in the village. She finally gave in and allowed them to place their fingers in her hair, creating a very intimate connection between them and her, none like she had felt since she lost her mother. They brought her beautiful clothes and left an assortment of charms and  tonics, which she later found out were meant to heighten her desire and make her fertile.  

This was all much to Madame slay’s chagrin who was starting to regret her plan to bring Erik’s lover to Serpent valley in order to manipulate him.

But this regret was held at bay by the fact that the plan was actually working. Killmonger kept his word and was making his own plans to take down T’challa and reclaim the throne. Tamika's presence pushed him back to his old self again, and the fire that once burned in his eyes had ignited again.

He was no longer the puppet leader of Madame slay’s choosing. They called him ‘the new leader’ or ‘their stolen son’. His passion and charisma unleashed, winning over the people’s loyalty.

Many of those, who were banished from the main city in the north, believed their fate was actually a call to become the guardians of the powerful stone that rested in the south.And they were allowed to pass through the wall of chilling mist in order to fulfill their duty.   Now they also believed that the stone chose to bring Erik back from death because he was the rightful king who would finally join all eighteen tribes and the banished peoples in the south under one throne as one Wakandan people who would rule this earth.

Tamika did not believe any ofthe stories, but the admiration that the people of Serpent valley had for Erik, was starting to rub off on her.She found herself resisting him less and less.She could tell he was noticing this too, as he had moved his sleeping spot from across the hut next to the door and closer to her bedside at night.

One night, she felt him close enough to reach for her hand while they slept. She tensed up at his touch, but she did not want to pull away either.  Even clouded by sleep, her mind told her this was wrong... that Erik was nothing but trouble. But all the while her heart swelled wanting to cling to his hand.  She lingered with her fingers intertwined with his fingers and then she reluctantly pulled away, turning from him.  

She heard a grunt of disappointment come from behind her as she drifted back to sleep.

 


	9. Heralds and Heroes throughout the Galaxy

"Death is coming to earth.  Brought by Thanos... her most loyal servant." 

After Dr Strange, Wong, and Stark hauled the silver surfer out of the hole and onto the only nearby couch that remained intact, the being spent some time disoriented and mumbling about warning Dr Strange of a terrible threat.  Eventually he slipped completely into unconsciousness. 

"What was that about?" Stark asked Strange and Wong.  

"He said the name, Thanos." Dr Strange moved away, absentmindedly fingering the emerald stone that he wore around his neck.  "He's a sycophant from the planet, Titan, who worships death.  He claims to have met the embodiment of death and that he is her loyalist servant.  In other words, he's crazy.  There've been rumors of his many attempts to find the six infinity stones for years.  And I've been a bit uneasy lately... as more and more of these stones are appearing here on earth.  My uneasiness just came to a head about a week ago.  Now this being shows up."

Strange looked worried.  Then he said to himself.  "If Thanos is coming to earth, it would be to collect the time stone."  

"These infinity stones... these wouldn't be the same stones that had Thor's Asgardian shorts in a wad. The mind stone is one of them, isn't it?" Stark stood up and began to pace.  "And the tesseract that Thor took back to Asgard?"

"So you know about the stones then too?"  Dr Strange turned and looked at Stark intensely.  "It's urgent we get in contact with the others who have these stones."

However, Stark looked skeptical.  "Well that's easier said than done.  Cause I have no idea where Thor is... and Vision, who has the mind stone, ran away with Wanda Maximoff over a month ago.  He turned off his transponder and there are no traces of either of them on this planet at the moment."

"Apparently, Wakandans have space durable aircrafts now."  Stark remarked to Riri and Peter in a low voice.  "Now, if Stark Industries created a spaceship, I'd have Ross and every other government official in a suit up my ass... but hey, I hold my peace. I did the right thing and signed the accords. So I get no space ship.”

"That's not adequate." Dr Strange scolded, exasperated.  He looked down at the time stone.  "My order has been protecting this stone for centuries.  Yet, you're now telling me, the Avengers have already managed to lose not one -but two stones in a span of a few years." 

"I wouldn't say lost." Stark argued.  "We know where they are... just not how to get to them at the moment."

"Mr. Stark." Peter whispered up to his mentor.  

"Not now kid.  The adults are talking here." Stark hushed Peter, still in deep thought.

"But Mr Stark... even if you don't know where Vision went.  Perhaps Captain America knows where Wanda went.  She was on his side during the Civil War." Peter suggested.

Stark paused and looked at Peter.  Then he patted him on the back. "You might've redeemed yourself, kid."

Turning back to Strange, Stark said, "I'll need to get to back to the Avenger headquarters right away.  My Rhodey's there.  And he needs to make an important phone call and perhaps take a little side trip to Wakanda."

Strange paused for a second to wonder what the hell a "rhodey" was, but then moved his hands to create another portal.  Stark held up his hand abruptly. "No thanks, wizard.  I have my own methods for travel.  Besides, I need to drop these two back off in Boston anyway."

 "Aww... but Mr Stark." Peter started.

* * *

 

Vision and Wanda followed the tall blond warrior deeper into the crowd.  Wanda looked up at her husband, confused, "Do you think he didn't see us?" 

"No. He saw us." Vision replied. "He just didn't recognize us..."

They came to the edge of the crowded courtyard and then noted Thor slipping down an alley way.  Wanda moved to follow, but Vision took her hand and held her back.  "Maybe we should let him go?"

"Why is Thor here? Aren't you curious?"  Wanda asked.  "We're half way across the universe.  We told no one where we were headed.  Yet out of the blue, one of the avengers just appears."

Vision looked hesitant.  "We'll follow him just a bit further.  We were told to not stray far from the borders of this city."

"He's not stopping.  Do you think he knows about the warning?" Wanda continued on despite Vision's reminder to keep away from the city borders.  "THOR!"

The large blond man stopped just as he was about to cross out of the city and turned back.  He frowned at the couple confused, looking Vision's artificial body up and down.  "How may I ask do you know Thor?"

 "You don't remember us?  Wanda and Vision." Wanda walked up closer to the Asgardian.  He did appear slightly different than the last time she saw him.  He had the same blond hair and strong handsome face but now with a thick beard and mustache.  And his eyes... they did not seem quite right.  He carried Mjolnir and he looked identical enough to pass for the Asgardian prince. But if she was not mistaken, this was a completely different person with all of Thor's powers.  "Where is Thor?"

The man pulled the hammer from his back, and demanded again.  "I’ll ask again, strange woman and her andriod, how do you know Thor??"

"We fought next to him on earth.  We’re part of the Avengers."  Vision explained, placing his hand over Wanda's hands as she raised them to create two deadly surges of energy.  "Now.  Who are you?  And how do you have Thor's powers?"

The man stopped and lowered Mjolnir.  "My name is Eric Masterson.  Before I met Thor, I was just a regular man from Earth... an architect actually.  I lived with my girlfriend, Tamika Bowden... do you know her?  She goes by Wildstreak to some.  Have you seen her?  Is she ok?"

Wanda and Vision looked at each other.  Wanda replied, "I met Tamika during the civil war... I haven't seen her since."

Eric nodded, then he continued.  "Well... I stumbled into a fight between Thor and a creature called Mongoose one night some months ago, after Thor drew him to Earth while looking for the infinity stones. My presence distracted the creature enough to save Thor's life.  But I was fatally injured, so Thor asked Odin to merge us as one, temporarily, in order to save my life.  

The merge had a bad effect on both of us -we were both constantly fighting to take control of the body.  Odin advised us that we would have to travel to Mephisto's realm to trick him into giving back Thor's original body in order to safely split again.  

On our way out of the realms of hell, we were captured by the fire demon, Surtur.  He informed us that the prophesied Ragnorak was about to occur.  We defeated the demon, but were separated as Thor was called back to Asgard.  I was left with Mjolnir... and I continued to fight my way out of the realms of hell.  By the time I made my way out, I discovered Asgard was already destroyed and the survivors were traveling through space looking for a refuge. I've spent the rest of the last month searching for Thor and the other survivors.  Do you know where Thor is supposed to be, at least?"   

"No... we haven't seen Thor either.  Not since he left the Avengers to look for the stones." Wanda stated.

Eric nodded again, disappointed.  "I tracked the ship this way but then abruptly, I lost the trail.  It was as if it just completely disappeared.  I have a bad feeling... something went terribly wrong."

Just then a loud bang hit the atmosphere above them.  And an asteroid like object crashed into the desolate plain just beyond the city borders.  All three turned to look.  "What was that??"

"Come!” Eric spun his hammer and flew across the plain towards the crater created by the crash.  He was followed closely by Wanda and Vision.   They came upon the crater which was created several miles deep in the surface and down at the bottom something moved.  

"What is that?" Eric asked, confused.  There was a large green man at the bottom of the crater, who slowly transformed to a thin and short human man.

"It's Banner." Vision stated, looking at Wanda who had a confused expression on her own face. He floated down to the bottom of the crater and picked up Dr Banner, flying him back up and out of the crater.

Wanda explained to Eric.  "Another Avenger.  Better known as the Incredible Hulk."

"Aww." Eric nodded his head.  "I thought he disappeared around the same time Thor left to find the stones."

"He did." Wanda replied.  She walked over to Banner as Vision laid him on the ground.  She placed her hand on his cheek and tapped. "Bruce wake up!"

Bruce opened his eyes abruptly and took a deep breath.  Looking around confused, he stopped at Vision, pointing to the stone in his forehead.  Fear consumed Bruce's eyes. "He's coming for it!"

"Who?" Vision asked Bruce, placing his hand on the stone absentmindedly.

"Thanos... and his black order!"

 

* * *

“Why would you think I know where the stone is?” Gamora looked up at Thanos with innocent indignation. “Let Nebula go. You're wasting your time with this dead end.”

Two weeks ago, Thanos and his pirates managed to beat and torture the tesseract out of Loki before destroying Thor's Asgardian refugee ship.  Then he sent half his black guard after the Hulk to the planet, Zenn-La.  The other half, he sent to earth to track down the time stone.  And he went to Knowhere and secured the reality stone from the Collector.  That was where he encountered Gamora, Starlord, Mantis and Drax. Using the reality stone, he turned Mantis and Drax into inanimate objects before stealing Gamora away with the tesseract, after she begged Starlord to kill her to keep her out of Thanos's hands.

That had been a mistake.  Because it only acted to confirm Thanos's suspicions.   He twisted his fist again. Nebula’s parts stretched even further as she screamed in agony.

“You are a terrible liar, daughter.” Thanos replied. “You are the only one who Warlock would trust with the location of his whereabouts. He knows you are my only weakness. And he knows how much I love you and how much you hate me... how you plot to destroy me.So where is he??” 

“I don’t know. Just like you, the last time I saw him, he killed himself to destroy the future him -which means he’s long dead too.” Gamora replied as she turned and looked at Thanos intensely. Back then Thanos, Warlock, and Gamora were on the same side against Magus, the zealot head of the universal church of truth. Magus was created by Warlock decades in the future to oppose Thanos but eventually he became the main threat himself.   “Now let Nebula go.  You're getting nowhere.”

Thanos sighed deeply. “More lies, daughter?”

He stretched Nebula further before projecting her recorded thoughts for Gamora to see. In the projection, Nebula was warning Gamora about Thanos’s quest to find the stones. 

The Gamora in the projection replied, “He’ll never succeed.Warlock traveled months into the future and trapped himself in the soul stone. Then he hurled it into a wormhole to correct the Magus problem and to keep the infinity stone from Thanos.But before he hid it, he trapped a portion of my soul in it too. I’m the only one who knows where it is and how to get to it.  If Thanos ever comes for it, the stone will be warned through me.  And I'll make sure I'm dead before Thanos can use me to get the stone.”

Thanos stopped the projection. “Ok... so you have a choice, daughter. You will not be the one who dies here today... Nebula dies -painfully... Or you tell me where the soul stone is hidden.”

Twisting his fist again, Nebula screamed in agony.

“Ok.” Gamora relented, motioning for Thanos to stop. She looked up at him hesitantly. “When they entered the worm hole, Warlock and the soul stone where shot back in time millions of years in the past.The stone crashed into an asteroid headed on a course for earth.”

“The stone has been hidden on earth for millions of years, who knows where it is or how deep it’s been hidden under the surface.” She looked up at Thanos slyly.“And Warlock and the stone have had plenty of warning of your intentions.It won’t be so simple to get to it.”

Thanos snarled. “You better hope for your sister's sake that is not true.”

 

 


	10. What is Precious

After a few days in the village, Tamika learned Erik’s true name. His birth name. N’Jadaka. 

 Sitting with Preyy on the porch, she smiled inside as she thought about what the name must mean to him. She knew automatically that he took great pride in his Wakandan name.The name that his American mother gave to him to honor his Wakandan father.That’s why he had kept it close, safely tucked away in a place where he could keep watch over it.That’s what Killmonger did when he cared about something. Guarded it.Like a tyrant brooding over priceless treasure.

 After she got past her initial anger, Tamika also recognized this was why he had not let her leave the valley with Shuri.Why he stayed by the door to his hut while she lay unconscious, and why he always kept Preyy close to her side.

 Though he never confirmed this out loud, she guessed long ago that his father was born and raised in Wakanda.She later learned that his father had been the last king’s younger brother. And like Shuri, his father had struggled to find his place in this world from within that very large shadow. 

 Despite King Azzuri’s discouragement, N’Jobu, known in America as Travis Stevens, joined the Hatut zeraze as a teenager. And very much like his son in ambition and talent, he set his sights on a position across the Atlantic ocean in the United States.  While he was stationed there, he met and fell in love with an American woman named Teresa Brown who was a black activist in the Oakland area.This was the other half of Erik.

His mother died in jail when Erik was only a few years old under suspicious circumstances.Nothing became of the case which left Erik’s fatherangry and feeling powerless. He began to militarize the Hatut zeraze, plotting to use Wakandan technology in order to forcefully change the oppressive system that his wife had fought so hard against and ultimately lost her life to. He taught Erik from a young age the detailed execution of this plan before he was betrayed by a spy among his loyal war dogs and was killed by T’chaka.

Even as an orphan, Erik quickly grew into an extension of his father and his mother. His fiery will was a combustible combination of both of their wills. Tamika saw this clearly after she finally heard the entirety of his story. And this only acted to breakdown the wall around her heart even further as she was now introduced to N’Jadaka.

Not even the valley elders could call Erik by his true name without eliciting a lashing response.  And the elders even called Madame slay by her birth name, Isoke, much to her irritation.

By the end of three weeks, Killmonger was called to appear in front of the three elders, and he insisted that Tamika come along to the meeting to be present by his side.

Of course she stubbornly refused when he asked her that morning.  So when he left as usual, he sent Ijeoma, one of the women from the village who Tamika had become close to, back up to the hut to convince her to change her mind.

 “You should support your husband, girl.” Ijeoma gave Tamika a disapproving look.She was nearing her mid fifties and was the oldest of the three women who had adopted Tamika.She already scolded her often, like she did her own daughter.

“Erik is not my husband.” Tamika started to explain again.But it was no use. Erik’s strong feelings for her were more than obvious.The entire village knew how much their leader coveted her, and the two of them had been cohabiting in his hut for weeks.There was no formal marriage ceremony here other than for a king and a queen. So in the minds of the villagers that meant she was his wife until there was physical proof otherwise.

 “You Americans are strange.You have the full attention of the most eligible man in this valley and yet you refuse to claim him.” Ijeoma tsked. “Some other young woman might catch his attention one day and sweep him away.Luckily for you. I’ve already staked a claim on him for you.”

Tamika hated to think what that meant.“What did you do?” 

“If you are by his side at the meeting this evening, you can see for yourself.” Ijeoma replied evasively.  She gave Tamika a sidelong look as though baiting her with candy.

“What about Madame Slay?” Tamika narrowed her eyes at the older woman. Madame Slay had been by Erik’s hut to mark her territory as soon as Tamika woke up.

 She informed Tamika that Erik had already promised to make her, his queen, and therefore, despite what the villagers thought, Tamika could never truly be his wife.

 She went on to dig the knife even deeper by telling Tamika that he left his hut every morning to come to her hut where he spent the entire day. This was confirmed by other villagers who saw him enter the hut every morning and not leave until the evening.

 But this was not actually the entire truth since the Mandarin also teleported into Madame Slay's hut every morning and then teleported himself and Killmonger out to various places for the day.

 Of course Madame Slay left that part out and Tamika stubbornly refused to ask Erik about his whereabouts. 

 Even as Tamika continued to push him away, Erik continued to make sure she was comfortable and had everything she needed, but he did nothing else to press his romantic feelings upon her, allowing her to keep her distance. So after awhile, she began to worry that he and Madame Slay were actually lovers.

 “Hah!!” Ijeoma placed her hands on her hips. Apparently Ijeoma did not question this at all. “That girl eats men alive.The new leader is not her type -nor should he be. She’ll soon learn she can never control him.”

 “Well she says he's already promised to make her, his queen.” Tamika retorted.

 “The elders have to agree.” Ijeoma replied.“And they know Isoke well.The match must be a strong one. She hopes to convince them of this tonight.”

 Tamika rolled her eyes.So that was the reason why he asked her to be there.Why he sent Ijeoma up here to nag her into showing up. 

 Ijeoma gave Tamika a knowing look. “There is a much stronger match to be made here.Erik was born an outsider and has just been accepted into this world.  Even though he leads us, he will never fully be one of us. He needs a woman who understands his struggles... and him.Someone who tests him and pushes him but doesn’t undermined him. He’s a complicated man... most leaders are...  Madame Slay will only bring out the worst part of him.  You on the other hand... you appear to inspire him, child.”

 “He betrayed me.” Tamika stated bluntly.She looked down at her legs. Her voice hardened. “He took everything from me.How can I just forgive that? Why should I forgive that?”

 “He accepts you. Flaws and all.”Ijeoma shot back.

Ijeoma was never one to hold back and she often pointed out Tamika’s tendency to act like a spoiled brat in Erik’s presence. But after she scolded her, she sat down next to Tamika and placed her hand on her hand. “I know the story. It’s a terrible thing to love someone and then be hurt by them. And I suppose things would’ve been different if you met him another way.Without colliding into each other at full speed... literally. But think about what he’s done since then.How much he’s changed your life for the better? If I’m wrong, don’t show up this evening. But if I might be right, you need to make sure you are there for him, child.”

 Tamika squeezed Ijeoma’s hand. She felt her heart drop every time she thought about Erik with someone else, but at the same time, she still could not find her way past her anger. She wasn’t even sure that she should. “I’ll think about it.”

 

* * *

 

Erik looked over his shoulder one more time.There was still no sign of Tamika or Preyy. The entire crowd would have parted like the red sea to let the enormous cat through if he was approaching. His fists gripped tighter in frustrated disappointment.

Then he looked to his right and met eyes with Madame Slay who looked back at him triumphantly. She knew he had asked Tamika to come and why.  As he entered the meeting place, he could feel her papable anger at his clear undermining of their deal. But the fact that Tamika had not bothered to show up was more proof of Madame Slay being the better option for his queen. So the game had just turned back in her favor.

“So Isoke is the one you have chosen to take as your queen to the main city?” The old man, who sat crosslegged in front of him, asked curiously. “I know she has done a lot for our people. She is a great healer and she has valuable powers over magick, but we did not expect that you would actually choose her to stand by your side.”

”Are you sure, Erik?” The older woman to his right spoke up. She looked over at Ijeoma who stood among the other established women in the village.  She shrugged at the old woman in response. “We've been told about another, who might make a better match for you.”

”Elder, that is clearly just a rumor spread by those who don’t necessarily agree with some of my methods.” Madame Slay spoke up also eyeing Ijeoma with sharpened daggers. “But I’ve always proven to be more than capable and loyal. We have our new leader, N’Jadaka, because of me.”

Killmonger scowled at Madame Slay as she used his birth name.  He turned to curse at her. But was halted by a murmur arising from the crowd.

The crowd began to part as Preyy finally appeared. He stalked in lulling his head from side to side lazily, knocking back any stragglers who did not move out of his way quick enough. Tamika rode astride his back. Her locs were pulled up in a intricate crown ontop of her head, and she wore a long deep purple gown that hung off her shoulders from silver arm cuffs and showed off her rich chocolate skin, all of her curves, and her shapely legs through the light material. She already looked like Killmonger’s queen as she rode in on the back of his strutting leopard.

Ijeoma smiled smugly at Madame Slay. She had fixed Tamika’s hair and laid out the gown despite Tamika’s refusal to commit.  Every one else in the meeting area stood speechless, watching in awe. 

Erik stood up and met Preyy at the edge of the crowd.  Taking hold of his chin, he led him to the spot next to him.  The cat lay down and began to lick at his paws as Tamika slid off of Preyy's back to the ground on the opposite side of Erik from Madame Slay.

Leaning over to her, Erik placed his hand on the slope of her lower spine where the open back of the gown started at the top of her buttocks, and he whispered into her ear.  "Wassup, Beautiful?"

The sides of Tamika's lips curled up.  She turned her face towards him and looked up at his dimples.  He was still staring at her like there was no one else in that clearing. She mouthed,  "I'm here for you."

”You must be the one who the villagers speak of.  The one they call the new leader's wife.” The elder stated.

Tamika nodded at the them. "I'm Tamika Bowden."

The older woman spoke up again.  She had a wicked look on her face. "We can tell already that there is an unspoken connection between the two of you."

Madame Slay protested, not able to hold her tongue any further.  "N’Jadaka is only half Wakandan.  Why would we trust him with a tainted outsider queen??"

"I told you not to call me that!  That name ain't for you!" Killmonger raged at Madame Slay.  He stood up over her angrily.  Her leopards positioned themselves around her, snarling as Preyy stood up too, crouching protectively over Tamika and behind his master in an aggressive stance. 

"Wait."  The old man lifted his hand, patiently.  All three humans and the five cats looked at the old man immediately.   "Sit."

He paused and waited for every one to sit back down again.  Then he said,  "I won't even bother to ask which one of these women, you would choose, Erik.  I think we all know the answer to that.  But Isoke is right.  You were raised an outsider.  You're mother was not Wakandan.  But you do have the blood of the royal family which makes you the rightful choice for our king.  But a Wakandan Queen -one from the banished peoples would tie us to your throne even further."

The elder raised his hand again hushing the murmurs created by his last sentence. "On the other hand... as a man you will need a woman by your side who loves and understands you.  And it is apparent there will be some... difficulties between you and Isoke."   

The three elders looked at each other.  "We need to think this over further.  We will tell you our decision before the date of your planned meeting with T'challa.  Your queen will accompany you there."

* * *

  **Warning: lemon ahead ;-)**

As the meeting ended, Tamika found herself swept away by Ijeoma and the other established women who had firmly planted themselves on her side of the line. She was soon surrounded by cheerful gossip and vibrant feminine celebration, but her eyes continued to wander off towards the edge of the village, wondering where Erik went.  

The evening wore on and the women began to sing and dance to the distant drums coming from the other side of the village, where the men had their own meeting of the minds.  Though the two groups remained separate, there was a rhythmic call and response from the masculine group to the feminine group and back, establishing the distinction while at the same time sealing the bond.   

Tamika assumed that Erik was among the men and then settled in next to Ijeoma to watch the dancing and drink the strong warm liquid that was continuously poured into her cup.  Soon she found herself, allowing the polyrhythmic groove of the men's drums move her arms and head and singing the melodic tune created by the women's voices.

Eventually, Preyy appeared in the village, bulldozing his way through the hen party causing the tipsy women to scream with laughter.  After knocking several giddy women off of their feet, just because he could, the leopard lay down and nudged at Tamika until she complied and slid onto his back.  Then he slunk off with her into the jungle much to the other women's dismay.  

Preyy took her to the private pool of water that lay just beyond Killmonger's hut and connected to a small waterfall which fell from a tiny stream above and into a waterfall that cascaded down to another pool in the valley below.  The pool had been used for her daily bathing but now Preyy lay down next to it and waited for her to slide off. 

She removed her gown and then slipped completely naked into the water.  The pool was shallow enough that she could sit in the middle of the pool water and it covered her up to just below her neck.  

The water was just warm enough to be comfortable.  She submerged herself in it and then watched Preyy slink off again.  He brought her here for a reason... she wondered what it was.

And then she felt him move into the water behind her, pulling her body towards him so her back rested against his chest.

Impatiently, he moved her hair to the side and his lips caressed the side of her neck tasting her skin before moving onto her shoulder. She felt herself shudder with the pleasure of his touch, as the drink that the village women poured into her, electrified all of the nerve endings in her body.

She did not fight it this time, surrendering to the yearning in her heart, which had been haunting her ever since she woke up to find him sitting next to her bed. A groan of satisfaction escaped from his throat as he felt her give into him.  His hand groped urgently at her breasts, fingering her nipples, across her abdomen, down between her legs. He found her spot, stroking at the knob hidden within the folds. 

The pleasure was coming in waves now. She heard herself losing control to his ever working fingers, moaning, cursing, and calling his name.

Then he demanded that she call him by his other name. The name that he would not let anyone else use. She cried, “N’Jadaka, I love you!”

He picked her up and maneuvered her body, so she straddled him and they became connected as he entered her.

Now that she faced him, she could see his eyes. And they were different now... not guarded nor cold, disregarding, calculating, angry, guilty, nor sad nor any of the other emotions that usually consumed Erik’s face. But open and vulnerable. And for the first time, he spoke the words to her. Not distantly written in a letter, but right there in that moment. “I love you too, Beautiful.”

 

 

 


	11. The King's Demonstration

Shuri frowned into the screen projected above her lab desk.Things had been much more cumbersome and inconvenient without her bracelet.  Ever since Killmonger confiscated her kimoyo beads, she had been using her kimoyo card to move around and the virtual computer on her desk in the lab, but half the time she forgot where she put the card or left it in the lab and had to double back.

“Why are we whispering? And where are you? It’s dark. I can barely see you.” She hissed at Spiderman’s face which filled the screen like he had the card that she left for Riri just millimeters from his red webbed mask. She could hear Riri in the background trying to take the kimoyo card back.

“We barely snuck on to Mr Stark’s jet before he left... we’re stowing away. So we can’t speak too loud or too long, but we wanted to warn you... he’s headed in your direction.”

“Stark is headed to Wakanda? Why are you hiding on his jet? And you realize those quinjets have sensors. He has to know the two of you are there by now.”  Shuri frowned skeptically.

“Way to ruin it, baby black panther.” Starks voice interrupted the transmission. “I was just about to teach these two a lesson on. Minding. Their. Own. Damn. Business.”

“By the way how’d you even get in here? Is security that lax around headquarters now?” Stark asked Rhodes. They could hear him chomping on something loudly into the com.

Rhodes opened the hatch and waved the two teenagers out of the storage compartment under the cockpit into the body of the plane.

“Gotta go.” Peter closed the line to Shuri and shrugged up at Rhodes innocently.

Both Peter and Riri followed Rhodey inside, and Riri stepped out of the fully functioning iron man suit that she managed to finally finish in her dorm over the last week and a half. Peter released his mask and walked over to Tony Stark’s position at the helm.

“What are you juvenile delinquents doing here??” Stark demanded annoyed.“I considered waiting until we were up in the air before opening the bottom hatch. But then I remembered Spider-Man can’t fly and your Aunt May might be a bit pissed if I dropped your ass in the Altantic ocean.”

“Ok well, thanks. I think.” Peter replied. “We felt we could help...”

“Well you can’t.And neither one of you is an Avenger so you're trespassing, kids.” Stark remarked. “And thanks for warning the princess that I’m on my way to Wakanda. For some odd reason, I’m not well received by her.”

“Where’s the wizard?” Riri asked, curiously, looking around.

“He won’t leave that creaky old house in New York. Says the stone is best protected there.” Stark commented. “I told him to just destroy the thing... problem solved. He didn’t take that very well. Haven’t heard from him since. That one party trick magician has a bad attitude. 

Anywho I’ve spent the last week trying to get Ross off my ass about Vision’s whereabouts and finally tracked down Cap. Seems he has no idea how to find Vision or Wanda either. He did however tell Rhodey that the Wakandans might be able to transmit a signal with a message to the ship that they took.And in the mean time there has been some suspicious Mandarin like activity in the Wakandan vicinity recently. I figured I’d make myself useful by showing up to the party... but not with two extra stow aways.”

Stark gave them a look. “So skedaddle.”

Now Peter and Riri exchanged looks. Peter had confiscated the business card that Dr Strange gave to Stark and they had already agreed to head back to the Sanctum Sanctorum if Stark was a dead end.They both planned to find some way to make themselves useful.

* * *

 

“Why is Stark headed to Wakanda??” Shuri demanded of T’Challa as he sat with Ororo, who he had been spending an unusually large amount of time with since she and Wolverine accompanied them back to Wakanda.  Okoye had crashed the party earlier and was standing very still behind T'Challa, as though attempting to act invisible and not an unwanted third wheel.

The x-men had been preparing to leave Wakanda ever since Shuri returned from Serpent Valley.  But T'Challa continued to find ways to extend their stay, despite Wolverine's grumbling and Okoye’s doubts, by showing Storm everything that Wakandan technology gave access to, including the ability to enter outer space. He took her up in one of their jets, clearing Earth's atmosphere and orbiting the moon.   The latest delay had him showing Ororo the extent of the organic jungle that made up the center of the palace. 

Okoye frowned at T'Challa. He frowned back. His general had been behaving strangely every since she came out of the wall of chilling mist.  Consistently self assured and confident, Okoye was unusually nervous, jumping like a startled child at any sound and refusing to leave T'challa's side for an extended period of time other than to keep a close eye on both x-men.   T'Challa had just found her standing, half hidden in a clump of bushes, as he and Ororo strolled through the organic jungle together.

She whispered to him.  "Don't we have enough visitors already?  Shouldn't we be just a little bit more cautious about opening up our borders so freely to these outsiders, my king."

She looked at Ororo, apologetically.  "No offense."

"None taken."  Ororo replied, politely.

"I had no idea that Tony was coming."  T'Challa frowned again, mumbling to himself.  "I know he has been in communication with Steve Rogers about the ship that we lent to Vision and Wanda Maximoff. And now that we know Killmonger is the one who Sombre resurrected in Serpent Valley there is suspicion that he may be working with a man named the Mandarin. Tony knows him well."

"He's coming here to meddle in our business." Shuri crossed her arms over her chest, angrily.  Then she mumbled to herself, "Not to mention, by the time he leaves, Stark International will likely have another new invention to share with the world."

"Little sister, I have more pressing issues to worry about than Tony Stark." T'Challa stated.  "This meeting that our cousin has asked for is likely a setup for something much bigger and less friendly."

Killmonger was recently spotted with the heads of the two equally small nations, Niganda and Ghudaza, that bordered Wakanda's non mountainous southwestern border. Both countries had a tenuous alliance with Wakanda, as historically, they were both the most suspicious that their neighbor was hiding something beyond its closed borders. Both countries were also extremely poor and had been devastated multiple times throughout their history by the wars of larger neighboring countries.

On the other side of the two countries sat Uganda and Lake Victoria, both very important for Wakandan trade, and both Niganda and Ghudaza acted as the main pipe line around the Jabari Mountains into Kenya and to the Indian Ocean.  Wakanda traded delicacies that were solely developed within their borders, and they had always done whatever it took to maintain as much of a friendly relationship with its bordering countries as possible, even extending limited goodwill outreach into both countries before T'Challa opened the borders. Even though Wakanda was technologically self sustaining, as a landlocked country, it still depended on its neighbors economically, which made Niganda and Ghudaza very important allies.

Opening the borders and revealing the extent of Wakandan vibranium and its technological advancements, had already further strained the relationship with these two nations who were now afraid their powerful neighbor could invade their borders at any moment. From the short time he had spent with his cousin, T'Challa surmised that Killmonger intended to use this fear to undermine T'challa's attempts at diplomacy and to isolate Wakanda completely.      

"You think he is still after your throne?" Okoye asked.

"He has gained the backing of the village in Serpent valley." T'Challa replied. "They don't call themselves the banished peoples because they loved my grandfather or my father or by extension, me.  And they're call for a return to the ancient ways could sway M'Baku and the tribe in the Jabari mountains to their side as well.  If we lose the backing of the mountain tribe, we are in trouble.

Our cousin could care less about Wakandan tradition or its use of magic, but he will use both to get what he wants. And if he gains the backing of Niganda and Ghudaza as well... Well I cannot let that happen, even if it means occupying both countries to force them into maintaining the current arrangement.  He is pushing me to do things... things outside of my character... actions that our people will have trouble supporting."

T'Challa sighed, exhausted.  "Killmonger is very good at what he does."

 Shuri placed a hand on T'Challa's shoulder. "Brother, you are twice the man, he will ever be.  I know that... our people know that.  You just need to remember that."

He looked up at his younger wiser sister and gave a half smile. "Thank you Shuri."  

"Now take your new girlfriend on a nice date."  Shuri commanded, giving her brother a sly look.  "You're being a rude host.  And the festival starts tonight."

He looked over at Ororo, embarrassment in his eyes.  "It's terrible that you had to visit at such a time.  But I'm very glad for your presence.  If you wouldn't mind staying a bit longer and accompanying me to our annual festival tonight?"

Ororo smiled at T'Challa. "Yes. Of course."  

* * *

Standing outside in the night air, T'Challa knocked on the door of the apartments where Storm was staying while she visited Wakanda. When she opened it, his mouth almost dropped all the way to his knees.  She had tied her long thick white hair up on top of her head in an intricate network of braided knots decorated with golden beads and seashells.  She had on a long white dress which hugged her bosom and hips, following her curves all the way to her calves with a slight slit that stopped mid thigh.  

Worried, she looked down at herself as T'Challa stood there silently staring.  "Am I over dressed? Your sister said it was a relatively formal event... but I can change."

"Oh no! You look perfect!" T'challa rushed to reply, almost too eagerly.  He stepped a bit further into the light to reveal his own formal clothing, black slacks and long sleeved jacket intricately embroidered with the dark lavender color of the heart shaped herb.  Now Storm's mouth fell open as she took in the handsome and attractive presence of her date.  

They both stood awkwardly staring at each other for a second before T'Challa got ahold of himself and offered his arm to Storm.  "Ummm, where are my manners? Come!  The night awaits us."

Storm smiled and closed the door behind her before slipping her arm into T'Challa's arm to follow him out into the night.

As they strolled the path through the butterfly and tropical bird gardens, T'Challa commented on how beautiful Storm looked that night.  She thanked him and questioned how the rest of his afternoon went after he left to appease his council's concerns about the jarring news of the arrival of more guests.  He sighed and spoke about the pressure that he felt to make everyone happy while doing what he thought was best for his people.  They fell back into this rhythm easily.  The same rhythm that developed as they learned to depend on each other years ago, out in the desert when they were young teenagers.  It was easy and comfortable.

Storm looked up into T'Challa's large dark brown eyes.  Though he did not say so out loud, he appeared grateful to have her there to talk to, so much so that he plotted to find ways to make her stay.  And she was more than happy to be there next to him.  She wrapped her arm around his arm tighter, and they both slowed their pace so they could spend as much time alone as possible before reaching the edge of the gardens and entering the crowded city.

The festival was an enormous celebration of music, dancing, artwork and staged dramatic retellings of the history of Wakanda; the rise of the first black panther, and the extraordinary feats of the prior kings. T'Challa and Storm strolled through the crowded streets past the smaller stages and booths to the largest stage at the end which was built like a coliseum.  

They were greeted by Okoye at the entrance, who was dressed in more traditional Dora Milaje armor.  "The king's demonstration is about to start.  We just await you, my king."

Okoye led them into the coliseum into the largest booth already occupied by Shuri, Queen Ramonda, and the other guests of Wakanda.  

After shaking hands with Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, and Natasha Romanova, T'Challa pulled out the seat to his left side for Storm to sit before taking the king's seat.

Down in the pit, the Dora Milaje were lined up with numerous girls dressed in various tribal armor, as young as eight or nine up to the age of thirteen or fourteen.  The girls were nominated from seventeen of the eighteen tribes, all but the mountain tribe.  The girls were potential apprentices who would show off their fighting skills and skills with strategy before the royal audience, elders, and spectators to be chosen by a Dora Milaje warrior as an apprentice.  Those not picked this year would try again next year.  

T'Challa explained the tradition to Storm as the sparring matches started in the pit.  Each girl would gain points from each match that she won and those who remained to end would compete for the king's prize which was usually one of the black panther's traditional weapons to hang on their wall.

The matches went on as did the conversation in the audience until suddenly a loud bang hit the atmosphere above them, interfering with the force field that surrounded Wakanda's main city.  A large clap of thunder and lightning sliced into the ground, knocking the girls on the ground in multiple directions as three forms suddenly appeared at the center of the pit.

Storm stood up and began to float, her blue eyes glowing white.   A large and thick mist settled and spread around her, encasing the audience in the stands protectively.  The Dora Milaje warriors led by Okoye fanned out in a semi circle surrounding the strangers in the pit, their spears ready to strike and skewer.  Then T'Challa pounced out of Storm's mist in full black panther armor ready to attack.  Captain America followed him but then yelled, "Wait!!"

Confused, T'Challa stood up out of his crouch and looked back at Steve.  "You know them??"

Steve nodded.  He approached the large blond man who carried an unconscious thin man with curly brown hair under one arm and an out of commission android under the other arm.  "Thor? Bruce? Vision?  What's going on?"

Eric Masterson turned and looked at Steve.  "You are Captain America then, sir? We just barely escaped with our lives...  A group of space pirates who call themselves the black order appeared on the planet, Zenn-La, demanding Vision give them his mind stone.  They managed to take Wanda, but I got Banner, Vision, and the mind stone out of there.  Wanda told me to come here -she said it was safest place."

"What did I miss?"  Stark suddenly entered the pit dressed in his vacationing gear and sunglasses followed by Rhodes and escorted by some Wakandan guards.  Everyone turned and looked at him confused.  He shrugged.  "Bad timing?"

  


	12. The Soul of Serpent Valley

Tamika lay her head back against Erik’s chest and closed her eyes. She felt so safe there again... _My love.  My rock.  My warrior._  Now in this world, he was officially her husband.

He put the breakers out on the floor of the hut earlier that night. The vibranium breakers attracted the microorganisms that usually congregated at the top, near the branches at night.This left the top of the hut open to the clear starry night sky above them.They lay in the bed together. Their naked bodies entwined, barely covered by soft fur, watching it dance for them.

Tamika was no longer sure how long she had been in Serpent valley.The flow of time in the valley was different than the outside world.Though the people inside aged at the same rate as the rest of the world, time moved faster.What felt like months in the valley was actually only weeks in the outside world.

So though the meeting with T’Challa was set for four weeks after Shuri left the valley, Tamika had already been in the valley for about three and a half months.She left only once with Erik to send a message to her father telling him that she was ok.But otherwise, she barely thought of the outside world, falling further in love with the people and the place that surrounded her.

It took the elders an entire week to decide who would be Killmonger’s queen, and when they finally did, Madame Slay appeared to take the news well.  She even showed up to the ceremony with a stiff smile on her face.  Ijeoma however, warned Tamika that this was all a ploy.  "She's not done.  She's patient. Isoke will try to get rid of you. She has many tricks... that girl doesn't like to follow the rules of balance that I've taught her. But I can protect you from her magick.  The king, however, won't always be able to be by your side.  And this is between women -it's not for men.  You'll need to take back your own warrior's strength and protect yourself physically." 

Tamika considered Ijeoma's words.  She had been wanting Shuri to send her exoskeleton back for awhile now.  She at least needed a wheelchair... she could work with that.  But approaching Erik about it was a different story.  He was now use to protecting her in their little corner of the world, and he was never a huge fan of her armor.  He accepted it because she loved it so much. But she knew he would fight her now.   And not wanting to start a fight, she allowed herself to be distracted by him and their lovemaking.

Weeks past and Ijeoma appeared one evening at the hut with an infant sized gown. Tamika found her burying a ceremonial knife in front of the door to the hut.  When Tamika came out to greet the older woman, Ijeoma handed the piece of clothing to her, she said, “Now that your house is well protected. This is for your son. You’ll need it in about nine months.”

Tamika took the gown and laughed, figuring this was just another one of Ijeoma’s hope driven predictions.But the older woman looked at her sternly. “You need to start eating better and when I come in the morning, I’ll bring you the vitamin tonic that I’ve begun to prepare. The last baby to be born in this valley was over three years ago. And this is the king’s first son. Ushering this child into the living world will mean a great deal to the banished people. You need to take it seriously, girl.  And it is even more important that you're able to protect yourself.”

The smile faded from Tamika’s face. Ijeoma was serious.She knew Ijeoma was the village midwife but she did not know the extent of what she actually did. Not until she asked Erik later that night.“Supposedly she got some hoodoo ability.  Reading a womb.That’s what they call it.They say she’s never wrong.  She's also the only one who Madame Slay never crosses.”

He picked up the necklace that contained a charm, consisting of a small bag filled with crushed herbs and feathers.  Not long after they met, Ijeoma gave it to her and insisted she wear it around her neck at all times.  "But she likes you.  She stands up for you.  So she's aight in my book." 

Tamika hoped Ijeoma was wrong this time. How could she take care of an infant? After her accident, she never even considered that she could get pregnant.  Not wanting to deal with any of it, she hid the gown that Ijeoma gave to her where Erik would not find it.More weeks passed and she began to have morning sickness.

The next morning, Ijeoma showed up like clock work not only with her daily vitamins but with an antiemetic to help with the nausea.   She walked over to the cabinet and dug out the hidden gown.  "You can only hide this so long.  Your boy is strong.  He will begin to show his presence in many more ways soon."

Then she pulled out a small pad with a probe attached. “Come. Lay back on the bed so you can see.”

Ijeoma pushed Tamika’s shoulders back so she lay flat on the bed.Then she lifted the shirt up off of Tamika’s still flat abdomen.She placed the probe over her abdomen and waved her hand over the box. A three dimensional projection of Tamika’s womb appeared over the box.She moved the probe until the projection became a small bean sized creature with developing arms, hands, legs and feet, and a strong thumping heart beat.“There he is... beautiful ...and very healthy.”

Tamika lifted her head to look at the projection.She felt the urge to reach out and pull the image into her, wanting to protect him already.

“You’re going to have to tell Killmonger about his son, soon.  And it's even more important that you are able to protect yourself now.” Ijeoma stated again, as she moved the probe away. Then she gave Tamika another stern look. “Tell him. Or I’ll do it for you.”

Now Tamika lay in bed next to Erik listening to him talk through his thoughts on the developing relationship between the banished Wakandans and the neighboring countries, Ghudaza and Niganda.  He already had the Hatut zeraze smuggling stolen tech and needed goods across the borders into both countries under his name, quickly making Erik Killmonger, one of the most infamous and beloved names in many parts of both countries.

He was in a good mood. She wondered if this was the right time to tell him the news.  Maybe she should get her armor back first?  It would be a lot harder once he found out she was pregnant.

Seeming to sense something was wrong, he paused his thoughts and asked, “wassup with you tonight?”

“Nothing.” Tamika replied quickly. “Just thinking.” 

Erik pulled her around so she faced him and then he kissed her. “Whatcha thinkin about so hard?”

“Well...” Tamika started.  Hesitantly, she paused and lovingly stroked his cheek and beard with her thumb.  

A knock came from the door.Erik looked perturbed and ignored it.“Well what?”

“Shouldn’t we answer that?” Tamika asked.Erik leaned forward and kissed her lips again.  He took her hand, kissing her fingers and said, “We’re talkin, that’s more important.”

“I need to tell you something, but…”

The knock came again. More insistently. Killmonger groaned. “Got damit!”

He kissed Tamika one more time, deepening the kiss so his tongue hungrily ran its way around her mouth, and he said, “hold this just a sec, I’ll get rid of them.”

He got up, annoyed and cussing, as he shoved his legs in his pants, before going to the door. He pushed Preyy back as the leopard was growling unhappily at the door as well, after being awakened from his nap on the floor near the kitchen.

Looking outside, Killmonger demanded, “I told you not to bother my house after dark! This better be fuckin good.”

 “Sorry my king! I wouldn't usually interrupt but it’s important.” Nkem’s voice drifted into the hut. “We’ve received a transmission from the palace. Through Princess Shuri’s kimoyo beads.”

 Erik frowned, confused. “Now? At this time of night? It ain’t been four weeks out there yet. Right?”

 “No it hasn't but... T’Challa is requesting to speak with you anyway.” Nkem replied.“He won’t speak to anyone else.”

 “Wait a sec.” Erik nodded reluctantly. “I’ll be there.”

 He turned back into the hut and moved to throw his robe over his shoulders.Then he stopped and watched as Tamika slid from the bed. “Where you think you going?”

 “I’m coming with you.” Tamika stated moving towards Preyy. The cat lay down for her but then looked towards Erik as though asking for permission.

 “I’m just going out to handle this. Then I’ll be back and you can finish telling me what you need to tell me.”

 Tamika pulled herself onto Preyy’s back. “I want to speak with Shuri.I want my exoskeleton back.”

 Erik paused. He did not look happy. “For what??”

 “I want to be able to walk again.” Tamika stated.If she was going to have an infant soon, she would at least need to be able to get around easier.

 “You ain’t gonna need that exoskeleton once I take back the throne. They’ve already promised me that you’ll get your legs back.”

 “And you believe that?” Tamika asked skeptically. “It came from Madame Slay.  You lied... you don't think maybe she did the same? Besides I want to walk now.”

 He continued to stand there not appearing to even consider the request.  His refusal shone all over his face.“Madame Slay is a lot of things but she ain’t stupid.You’ll get your legs back. And for now, you got Preyy.  You got everyone here in this valley at your disposal.  You're my wife, no one’ll refuse you.”

 “I want to be able to do for myself.Now.” Tamika glared at Erik sternly.  She sat upright on Preyy and crossed her arms defiantly.

"Bullheaded as ever,"  Erik mumbled.  Then he stood quietly appraising her with a pissed expression for a second.  Finally, he changed his mind, narrowing his eyes. "Fine.  Just as long as this is just about walking."

"Yea. sure." Wildstreak lied.

Erik gestured to the giant leopard to follow and then walked out of the door.

* * *

 ~~~~Erik, Tamika, and Preyy followed Nkem down the path past the village and into the valley, where the Hatut Zeraze stationed themselves in a network of the underground caverns.

While passing the village, Erik gave a deep growl which was accompanied by Preyy’s very loud growl, waking up the nearby slumbering huts.  They paused for a second and were soon joined by the three brothers, who often stayed close to Erik’s side now and called themselves the hyena brothers because of their psionic relationship with the Wakandan hyena packs.  Each brother was accompanied by a large hyena, who cackled wildly after being woken from their rest but quickly bowed their heads to Preyy’s annoyed snorts.  

“Where are we headed, my king?” The oldest of the three brothers asked as they followed behind the others down into the valley. 

“T’challa made contact.” Erik replied over his shoulder, smugly. "He probably heard about our new relationship with Ghudaza and Niganda.  If I were him, I'd wanna make a deal."

"What kinda deal do you plan to make?" The middle brother asked curiously.

Killmonger scoffed.  "The only deal I'm makin' is the one where he gives me back my throne.  Until then he can suffocate while his reign tanks along with the Wakandan economy."

The three brothers cackled joyfully along with their rugged carnivores, barring sharp teeth in large wicked smiles at the thought of T'Challa's humiliation at their leader's hands.   

The three young men were as scarred and bruttish as their animals.  They sharpened their teeth into fearsome razors and cut small cuts into their skin, creating the pock like scars that decorated Killmonger's chest to place magic potions and elixirs within the open wounds to strengthen their bodies and make them invincible in battle. So far it had worked, as all three brothers were lean and wiry but also had a reputation in Killmonger's Death Regiment that no one tested.  

Wildstreak eyed the three brothers cautiously.  The wild looks in their eyes and the leers all three of them gave her when Erik was not looking, irritated her a bit, but she knew none of them dared to try anything.  She had once bothered to glare at the youngest brother after he attempted to pick her up and he almost tripped over himself attempting to apologize. Still that respect only extended to her and the others under Erik's protection.  She had a feeling they would let all of that bottled up ruthlessness unleash on anyone else. 

Once they made it to the caverns, Killmonger directed Preyy to one of the largest open spaces in the back.  The cavern was richly decorated with painted scenes of the banished people's history.  From the time King cadaver entered Serpent Valley over a century ago into the future, showing scenes of the eighteen tribes of Wakanda joining as one under the chosen king, extending their reign across the earth and then beyond into space. The face of the future king had been a shadow for decades, but now was repainted with the details of Killmonger's face.   

He held his arms up to Wildstreak allowing her to slip into his embrace.  He carried her to the smaller of the two thrones that set up on a small dusty platform and then sat down in the larger throne next to her.  Preyy slunk up and lay down at his feet.   Leaning forward, he waited patiently as Nkem approached with the kimoyo beads.

 Rolling the communication bead into his palm, T'challa's face appeared above.  The black panther gave a solemn greeting, "Cousin."

 


End file.
